Redefining Normal
by WritePassion
Summary: With Michael back in the CIA, the team searches for how to cope with his loss, discovering what a normal life means for each of them.
1. Chapter 1

_Burn Notice: I don't own it, I just like to play with it._

**Redefining Normal**

By WritePassion

When Michael walked away after saying goodbye, the other four people who played such an intricate part in the burned spy's life were left devastated. Fiona would have crumbled to the concrete in tears, except Sam moved forward, wrapped his arms around her, and kept her on her feet as the Feds escorted them to a waiting vehicle. They all remained silent, overwhelmed by what had happened and unsure of where to go from that point forward. The CIA helped give them a push. The four piled into a black SUV that took them home, one by one.

The driver dropped Jesse off at his apartment, still stunned by what had happened. He watched the black SUV drive away, hands stuffed into his back pockets, wondering what he was supposed to do now.

First, he had to check on the apartment. He couldn't remember how long it had been, how many months, since he'd seen it last. He hadn't paid rent in all that time. The landlady was nice, but... Jesse sighed. It was time to face the music, to see if anything was left for him to pick up the pieces of his life and move on.

He entered the apartment building and walked straight to the elevator like he'd done so many times before, hit the button, and waited for a car to take him to his floor. As the doors opened on the fourth floor, he swallowed and forced his feet to move. A sense of dread flitted around in his stomach, and with each step it grew in intensity. He stopped at 409, fished in his pocket for the key, amazed that he still had it after all they'd been through and lost. He stuck it in the lock.

I don't remember it being so difficult.

He jiggled it until the key went in all the way and he turned it, or at least he tried. It wouldn't budge. He knew right away that someone had changed the lock. A deep, sorrowful sigh escaped from him and he pressed his forehead against the door. When he lived there, he hated it. Well, he hated being alone more than anything, but he didn't like the layout or the way he could hear his neighbors party upstairs. Now that the apartment was no longer his, he felt like a piece of his history had been ripped from his soul.

A snapping noise sounded through the door, and suddenly it flew open. Jesse stepped back in time to avoid tumbling into the apartment. A woman stood before him, tall, slim, with smooth cocoa skin and a don't mess with me look in her eyes.

"Who are you? Why are you trying to break into my place," she barked. She held up a Beretta nine millimeter aimed directly at his face.

Jesse took another step back, hands raised, and cool as could be as he said, "Hey, woah, no need for guns. I... I used to live here. This was my apartment, and I thought..."

"You thought you'd stop by and see how the place looks. Feeling nostalgic, huh?"

He tried an innocent smile. "It's more complicated than that. Listen, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude." He glanced at the lock. "Mind if I get my keys? Then I'll leave you alone. Sorry to have bothered you."

"What's your name," she asked, her eyes studying him with distrust.

"Jesse Porter, ma'am," he answered, reaching for the door handle. "Could I please just get my keys? Then I'll be gone."

The woman reached for the keyring and yanked it away from the lock. Dangling it between them while she still held up the gun, she said, "Here you go."

"Thanks." He bobbled the keys in his hand, listening to the tinny jingle. "If you don't mind my asking, how long have you lived here?"

"Three months."

Jesse nodded. So Mrs. Pitts must have held out for awhile before cleaning it out and renting it to someone else. He always liked that old lady. A slight smile crossed his face when he thought of her. "So, uh, you like it?"

"It's okay. Why? You planning on trying to kick me out? I have a lease."

"No," Jesse replied and shook his head. His eyes went up toward the ceiling. "I won't miss the people upstairs."

"Oh yeah, them." For the first time, the woman's expression softened and she lowered the gun. "I take it you had a lot of problems with them?"

"Yeah."

She smiled, and Jesse liked what he saw. "Well, I don't have any trouble with them anymore, not since I went up there and threatened to arrest them for disorderly conduct."

"You're a cop?"

"Yeah. I'm a detective with the Miami PD. Michelle Oglesby. I waved my badge around, and I haven't had any trouble with them since."

Jesse smiled in return. "Must be nice to have that kind of power." At the moment, Jesse felt completely powerless, not only in his life and future, but in the attraction he was starting to feel for Detective Oglesby. It was time to stop this before he let it carry him away. He had business to attend to, in order to rebuild his life.

"Yeah. Was there something else, Mr. Porter," she asked, and the way she said it reminded him of Agent Riley.

Jesse frowned, as if he'd just been doused with a bucket of ice cold water. "Uh, no. Thank you for your time, Detective." He took a couple steps, waved, and turned, walking with long strides to the elevator. He didn't notice that the detective stood in her door watching him, whether it was from curiosity or caution, if you would have asked her, she wouldn't have been able to say.

When the elevator deposited him in the lobby, Jesse hurried to the apartment office to see Mrs. Pitts. He entered and found a younger woman sitting at the desk, not the kind, elderly woman he expected.

"Hi, I'm Jesse Porter. I used to live in 409."

She looked up and frowned. "Oh yes, Mr. Porter. I suppose you want to know where your stuff is."

"Uh, yeah, that would be kind of nice."

The woman got out of her chair, turned to a file cabinet, and rooted around inside. Pulling out a file, she slapped it onto her desk surface, pointed to a clause in the contract, and spoke. "When you signed the lease, you agreed that if you abandoned the property that management would have authority to dispose of your belongings as management saw fit." She looked at him. "Everything was sold, and along with the security deposit, the profits compensated for the lost rent."

"You... you sold all my stuff?" He swallowed hard. He had some nice things, and he was upset to lose them. After such a hellish year, he'd hoped to come back to something comfortable, but he was left even more adrift than before. "There's nothing left?"

"Nope. You should have thought about the consequences before you took off, Mr. Porter." She picked up the file again. "If you've come back to rent an apartment, I'm sorry, but we won't rent to you anymore. You'll have to find some other landlord who will tolerate your behavior."

Jesse gaped, frozen to the carpet. When he realized that she was done with him, he managed to ask, "What happened to Mrs. Pitts?"

"She died, and her estate was liquidated. Hanover Management bought the property and now manages it."

"I see. Thank you." Jesse didn't know what else to say. He turned and left the office, the grip on his suitcase tightening. Everything he owned was in it. As he stood in the bright sunshine, he muttered to himself, "What do I do now?"

* * *

The vehicle stopped in front of the hotel to let Sam out. By now, Fiona stopped crying but she sat in the middle of the seat with Sam and Maddie flanking her, not moving, her eyes staring straight ahead.

"Your stop, Mr. Axe," the agent who drove them said as he opened Sam's door.

"Thanks." Sam turned to the two women, his brown eyes full of sorrow for Fiona. He didn't know what to say to make her feel better. Deep down it felt like someone died, but Mike was very much alive. He promised Sam he would fix things, and he did: just not in the way that any of them ever would have expected. His throat closed up, preventing him from saying anything.

"Go ahead, Sam. I'll take care of Fiona," Maddie whispered and patted his shoulder.

Sam nodded. "Uh... Fi..."

She came to life and blinked, then looked at Sam with a tear streaked face.

He lost it, and he pulled her into his arms and held her close. She cried into his shoulder and he into hers, while Maddie held onto both of them. When Sam managed to compose himself, he pulled away enough to look into Fiona's eyes. With an emotion-laden voice, spoke, "If you need anything, and I mean anything, you give me a call, Sister. Don't be a stranger, okay?"

Fiona nodded as she swiped the moisture from under her eyes, streaking her makeup. "I promise, Sam. And the same goes for you."

He sniffled and gave her a sad but tender smile. "You got it." He placed a warm kiss on her left cheek, caressed the right one, and got out of the SUV. He backed up and stood on the curb, waving to the women as the driver left. Another crushing blow of sorrow threatened to take him there, and he squeezed his eyes closed until it passed. He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped away the tears. It wouldn't do for him to go inside looking like he'd just buried his best friend, although that's how it felt. As long as Michael was with the CIA, he was gone again out of their lives. Who knew if he would ever come back, and would it be on his terms or the agency's? Sam didn't want to think about that, because it would only depress him all over again.

Instead, he thought about the future. It was time to see if Elsa would take him back. Sam picked up his suitcase and approached the entrance. The doorman smiled in a friendly manner as he held the door, but then he got a good look at Sam and he gasped.

"Mr. Axe," he breathed. "You're back!"

Sam smiled, flashing a dimple. "I sure am, Scotty. Is Elsa here?"

"Yes sir, Mr. Axe. Does she know you're coming?" He peered over his glasses at Sam with a conspiratorial expression.

"No. I didn't even know until this morning that I would be back," Sam answered. "I hope she'll be glad to see me."

Scotty's eyes sparkled. "This will be a fine New Year's present for her. I can assure you of that." He frowned and his tone took a serious turn. "Since you've been gone, pardon me, sir, I know I shouldn't talk about this, but... Since you've been gone, Ms. Elsa has not been the same. I believe she's been quite depressed."

Knowing he may have caused her such enduring pain stabbed Sam in the heart. He blinked, sensing a new crop of tears on the horizon. "I'm sorry about that. She knows I couldn't prevent it."

"Well, that's all over now, isn't it, Mr. Axe?" Scotty's face beamed again. "You're back now, and all will be right with the world again."

"I sure hope so," Sam said, even as he knew deep inside that nothing would ever be completely right without Mike as part of their team. He stepped inside the lobby and said, "Thanks for the heads up. I'll see you later."

"Yes sir, Mr. Axe. Welcome back." Scotty turned back to his work, allowing a couple to enter the hotel with a flourish of his hand and a friendly welcome.

Sam felt eyes on him as he moved toward Elsa's office, and a gasp of surprise here and there. He turned his head and scanned the lobby, checking out the staff. They scurried back to work, afraid to let him know that they were watching him. Some faces he didn't recognize, but most were familiar. He nodded to Theresa, from housekeeping, who dusted and watered plants in the lobby.

"Mr. Axe," she greeted him with a shocked tone.

He kept going. Later he could talk to the staff. Right now, there was only one person he wanted to speak with, and he made a beeline for her office. Elsa's assistant gaped when she saw him, but she recovered, gave him a quick hug, and hurried to the office door. She knocked on it and Elsa responded.

"Yes?"

Opening the door, her assistant announced, "Ma'am, there's someone very important here to see you. May I let him in?"

Elsa looked up at her after scanning her schedule. With a puzzled expression, she said, "I don't have any meetings scheduled with anyone."

"No, ma'am. This one is a surprise." She could barely contain her excitement.

"Well, who is it?"

She stepped out of the way so Sam filled the doorway. Grinning, he said, "Hey, beautiful, I'm home."

"Sam," Elsa choked out his name. She couldn't get out of her seat fast enough and almost twisted her ankle running to meet him. She lost her balance and stumbled right into his waiting arms. She wept with joy and couldn't kiss him enough, and he felt the same as they kissed, their lips meeting briefly before covering each other's faces with their lips. Sam couldn't hold her tighter without squeezing her to death, and she did the same.

When she could finally find her voice, Elsa said, "Sam, I didn't think I'd ever see you again."

"I know, baby. I felt the same way. But I'm here, we're done with the CIA, and it's just us."

"No more running around with Michael and your friends," she asked and sniffled.

Sam pushed her hair out of her eyes and looked into them, memorizing their depths again. "Mike..." A pained expression crossed his face. "Mike went back to the agency, and he's working for them. He pretty much broke Fi's heart, and the rest of us, well, now we've gotta figure out what we're going to do with ourselves without him."

Despite her own personal feelings about Michael Westen and the wringer he put his friends through, her face registered her own pain for the people he left behind. Caressing his face, she said, "Don't worry about that. I know you, and I'm sure your friends will bounce back from this. But you don't have to make any decisions now. Let's just be together." Her eyes brightened as an idea took hold. "Yes, let's get on the catamaran and take a trip, just you and I. We'll go to the Bahamas or something, and..."

"No, Elsa." He took her face in his hands and said, "I just want to be alone with you. I don't want to go anywhere or do anything, just relax and be together. Can we do that?"

Her smile widened. "We can do that. Let me finish up what I was in the middle of, and I'll let Nancy know I'm leaving for a few days. Or maybe a week." Elsa grinned. "The staff can handle things while I'm gone, and Nancy can reschedule my appointments." She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and ran her hands over his back. "It feels so good to have you here."

"I know what you mean." Sam kissed her, capturing her lips and plying his until she weakened in the knees. When he released her, slightly out of breath, he said, "I think I'll go upstairs and meet you there. Sound good?"

She moaned, her eyes smoky with desire when she opened them and zeroed in on his. "That sounds really good."

All the way to the elevator leading to the penthouse, Sam's steps were lighter than they'd been in a long time. It felt really good to know he was able to come home to the one thing that meant the most to him. Before the week was out, he intended to ensure that Elsa would be his forever. When he walked in the door he was afraid that maybe she would have found someone else, but her reaction told him she'd been holding off for him. He wouldn't make her wait anymore. If she wanted to be his wife, he would give that gift to her. What a great way to start a new year and a new life.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The black SUV pulled into Madeline's driveway, arriving from the side street instead of passing the front of the house, as if the driver wanted to spare her the agony of seeing what had happened to her home. The driver opened the door and gave her a hand to help her down, but Maddie pushed it away and gawked at the house as she lowered herself to stand on the concrete. Fiona followed and stood close to her, not necessarily for support, but because of her own sense of drifting without a rudder. Michael was gone to DC, leaving her behind with so much uncertainty. Maddie insisted that she come home with her, and like a dutiful daughter, which she was in spirit, Fiona complied. It was so unlike her to feel disconnected and lost, but when she and Maddie picked up the pieces and figured out what to do next, she would forge ahead in confidence. She just had to keep telling herself that this was only temporary, her situation and the way she was feeling.

The women heard the click of the hatch and the tap of luggage on the concrete. The door slammed, and the driver said, "Good luck, ladies." Then he got into the seat, put the vehicle in gear, and backed out onto the street. Neither Maddie nor Fiona moved until the sound of the rolling tires faded away.

Maddie sighed and dropped her hands at her sides. "Well, I guess we better go see what kind of disaster the CIA left me with."

Fiona only nodded and picked up the suitcases. She bobbed her head, signaling for Maddie to go ahead and open the door while she waited on the steps until the older woman unlocked the door and pushed it open. Maddie gasped and jumped back.

"Madeline, what is it," Fiona asked with alarm. She took the last two steps and peered around the older woman, and what she saw made her eyes widen in horror.

Broken dishes littered the kitchen floor, mixed with moldy, squashed fruit and unrecognizable food, and papers lay scattered about and stuck to the mess. The smell almost knocked Fiona off her platform shoes. Someone left the refrigerator and freezer doors open, and the power must have been cut because the light inside was out. The food in the freezer was defrosted and putrid, and in the refrigerator, the milk in the door looked like very bag yogurt. The worst part of it, besides seeing a bag of garbage had been strewn around the room, were the roaches that infested everything.

"Madeline, back up. Back up!" Fiona dropped the cases at the bottom of the steps. She reached around Maddie, slammed the door, and locked it. "We can't stay here, not until it's cleaned up and the exterminator takes care of... things." Her nose wrinkled.

"I can't believe they would do this to my home," Maddie said, her eyes blinking rapidly. "Have those people no shame?"

"Don't forget, it was Riley's people who did this, people who were loyal to that snake Tom Card. Knowing that should explain things, although it doesn't excuse them from being human instead of a bunch of animals." With the way the words ground out of her clenched teeth, if she had access to some of her hidden C4 and a means to get to Riley, Fiona wouldn't have had to worry about where she would be laying her head tonight. She'd have a first class ticket to the concrete and bars hotel for a very long time. Instead of seeking revenge, she focused on their immediate concern. She pulled out her cell phone and hit speed dial. The phone rang and went to voicemail. "Hi, Sam. It's me. I know you're probably, um, reuniting with Elsa, but Madeline and I have a problem. We need your help." She paused and met Maddie's eyes. "Please, Sam, pick up."

Madeline suggested. "Maybe you can try Jesse."

Fiona nodded and called his number. He picked up almost immediately. "Jesse, it's Fiona."

"Fi, what's up?"

"Well, Madeline and I just got to the house and..." The memory of what awaited inside made her stomach turn. "It's currently uninhabitable. I tried calling Sam to see if we could get a room at the hotel, but he's not picking up."

"Well, considering that my apartment is no longer mine, I've been looking for alternatives," Jesse said. "How about I pick you up? My car was put into the cop impound lot, and I just recovered it. I'll get you and Maddie, and we'll go over to Elsa's hotel." He paused. "Hey, maybe this isn't such a bad thing, you know?"

"Why do you say that?"

"I don't know about you ladies, but I feel like... like I've just gone cold turkey off a drug. I'm disoriented, don't know what to do, and I'm feeling like I lost all my friends. I don't like that." He snorted. "So hey, I know this delays the inevitable, but maybe we need to slowly wean ourselves off the team. Know what I mean?"

"Yes, I know exactly what you're saying." Fiona smiled despite the reopened painful wounds. "We'll be here waiting at the driveway."

"Great. I'll be there in about twenty minutes."

"Thank you, Jesse," she said, fighting the emotions threatening to undo her.

"You're welcome, Fi."

The connection closed, and Fiona led Maddie to the driveway. "Jesse is picking us up, and we're all going to Elsa's hotel. Maybe Sam can get us a deal on a suite or something." She didn't dare suppose that he could get them a free room. It wasn't his hotel, after all.

As promised, in twenty minutes Jesse arrived and pulled into the driveway. He put the luggage into the trunk and Fiona squeezed in the back seat to allow Maddie to sit next to Jesse. He told them about his homecoming, Fiona related what they found in Maddie's house, and the three of them decided to work together to clean up the place starting tomorrow.

"Thank you, Jesse. You don't have to do this," Maddie said as she dabbed at her eyes.

"It's no problem, Maddie. We're family, you know, and that's what family does." He grabbed her hand and squeezed it, and he flashed her a smile. "You're like my mom, and as long as I'm alive, I'm gonna be there for you."

She could barely speak through the tears. "Thank you, Jesse." She sniffled loudly. "I feel like you're my son, so I guess that makes us even." Maddie glanced over the seat back. "And you, Fiona, are like my daughter, but I know you already knew that. I love you, honey."

"I love you too Madeline." Amazing how she could hear those three little words flow so easily from his mother's lips, but when it came to Michael, it was as if he had a phobia about revealing his feelings. She knew he loved her, but hearing it would mean so much. Maybe he couldn't say it because he was too much of a spy. He loved his work more than her, and in the end she came out the loser. No, she would not let herself think that. She had to focus on her new life, and if he came back to her, she would be happy. In the meantime, she needed to concentrate on living without him.

Jesse pulled up to the hotel and let the ladies out, then gave his key to the valet. The bellhop took their bags and led them to the check in desk.

"Hello, welcome to the Darabant Hotel. Do you have a reservation," the young man behind the counter asked with a professional looking smile.

"No. We were hoping to get a suite, if that's possible," Jesse answered.

"Let me see what we have available." He tapped a few keys, his brow furrowed in concentration. "We have one suite on the tenth floor. It's eight hundred fifty dollars a night with three bedrooms, a kitchen and living area, and two bathrooms."

Maddie's eyes bugged. "Can we afford that," she muttered to Fiona.

Smiling as charmingly as she could, Fiona rested her arms on the counter and leaned forward, saying, "We're friends of Sam Axe. Do you think we could get some sort of friends and family discount?"

"You're friends of Mr. Axe?" His eyes darted from Fiona to Jesse and Madeline. "Is he expecting you?"

"No. This was unexpected," Fiona replied. "It's a long story, no need to bore you."

"Of course, ma'am. One moment, please." He picked up the phone and hit a button, conducting a quick conversation with the person on the other end. "Sorry to bother you, sir, but there are some friends of yours here...uh, two women and a man... no, I didn't get their names yet, sir... alright, I'll tell them. Thank you." He hung up and returned his attention to them. "Mr. Axe said that he will be right down."

"Thank you," Fiona beamed.

It didn't take Sam long to reach the lobby and approach the desk, although it was obvious that he'd been in the middle of something with Elsa. His hair was mussed and his clothing rumpled but at least he was clothed. Fiona was afraid he might come down in much less. Then again, this was a high class hotel, and it wouldn't do for Elsa's boyfriend to be parading around in next to nothing. He ran his hand through his hair trying to tame it so he looked more presentable when he got within viewing distance of the staff at the front desk.

Sam looked at each one of them and asked, "Okay, so what's going on? I thought you were all going home."

Maddie answered. "I was. But it's... it's horrible, Sam." Her eyes filled with tears again as a picture of the destruction filled her mind.

"The house is infested, dirty, and totally unlivable at the moment," Fiona said. "And Jesse lost his apartment, so we're all sort of wandering around right now, not sure what to do." She gave him a long look. "It appears that things are going well for you."

"Yeah." He felt guilty for his good fortune, so he tempered his smile. "Hey, it's okay. I'll take care of everything." He turned to the man behind the desk. "Thomas, I want you to set my friends up with a suite for a few nights, or however long they need it. No charge. And a couple of spa visits for Maddie and Fi." Winking at the two women, he said, "They could use a good massage, I bet."

The two stared at Sam, stunned by his generosity.

"Yes, sir, Mr. Axe."

Sam stayed with them as Thomas finished checking them into the suite. He took the key cards and said, "Follow me." The bellhop grabbed their luggage and followed the entourage to the elevator. On the trip to the tenth floor, Sam spoke. "You'll love it here. And Fi, Maddie, you really owe it to yourselves to get those massages, use the entire spa. Jesse, you want a massage too, just call the front desk. It's on me."

"Thanks, Sam. I just wanna spend a little time decompressing and considering my options."

"I know. Right now I'm just going to enjoy time with Elsa." He gave them a lopsided grin. "Oh yeah, and we're getting married on Saturday, so this is perfect. You guys'll be here, and we were just going to go out on the beach and get it done, have some dinner, nothing fancy." He sighed. "But I can't do it without you guys."

"If only Michael could be here." Maddie muttered.

"Yeah." Sam didn't tell her that he was working on that. If things went his way, Michael would be there.

Fiona stared at Sam. "You're getting married. Did you ever clear up that other thing with what's her name?"

Sam flapped a hand. "Oh yeah, after we did that thing with Mack, I figured it would be a good idea to get that taken care of, so no worries. I'm clear."

"Good," Fiona said with a nod. "I was afraid you might have forgotten about that."

Looking at her with a dead serious expression, Sam declared, "You can bet, sister, that I wouldn't dare screw up what I have with Elsa. For the first time in my life, I really love a woman." His expression softened. "I'm not just 'in' love. You know what I mean?"

"Yes." Fiona found it difficult to swallow, much less speak. "Yes, I know." She felt the same way about Michael, and by the chagrin on Sam's face, she knew that he was perfectly aware of how she felt and was sorry for reminding her. She plastered on a cheerful smile. "We really appreciate your putting us up like this. Please tell Elsa that we're sorry for interrupting your private time."

Sam smiled, knowing he was forgiven for his indiscretion. "Thanks, Fi. We'll have to all get together for dinner tonight. Elsa insisted."

"That sounds great," Jesse said. "Thanks, Sam."

"You're welcome. I'll see you guys later. We have reservations at six." He handed Jesse the key cards after letting them into the suite. "If you need anything, just call the front desk." He closed the door after the bellhop left the suite, and he returned to pick up where he left off with Elsa.

The three stood in the suite staring out at the gorgeous ocean view. Maddie sighed. "I suppose if I couldn't go home, this is a nice consolation." She picked up her suitcase and headed for a door on the far end of the room. "If you don't mind, I'll take the room over there."

"Not a problem, Madeline," Fiona said. "Jesse and I will take these over here." She inclined her head toward the two doors.

"Yeah, I think I'll settle in, and then I need to get to the bank and see what my financial situation is like," Jesse said. "I have to go shopping for some clothes, 'cause this is all I have. I need to know if I should be shopping at the Galleria or Goodwill."

Fiona gave him a sad smile. "I'll have to do the same. I'll see if Madeline wants to go along, and we could all shop together."

In the end, Jesse and Fiona went shopping at the nearby open air mall, and Maddie stayed at the hotel. She tried to take a nap, but she wasn't really tired. She was too wound up and unsure of her next move. Taking Sam's advice, she called the spa, set up an appointment, and allowed herself to be pampered the rest of the day. By the time her head would hit the pillow that night, all the day's anxiety were sure to be erased away. She could deal with her issues the next day.

Elsa and Sam treated his friends to a nice dinner at a seafood restaurant not far from the hotel. It was only a few blocks away, and despite the cooler temperatures, they walked. Everyone could see how happy Elsa was to be with Sam, and he could barely keep his eyes off her. Except for when they perused the menu, the couple held hands, and now and then Sam lifted them from where they sat on the armrest and kissed hers. For Fiona, it was difficult to watch their subtle displays of affection without feeling slighted.

On the way back to the hotel the group passed Carlito's. Fiona, Jesse and Sam glanced at the open patio where very few people sat. It would have been so easy to step to the right and sit down, order drinks and slip into old habits. Fiona's eyes locked on their table, and for a moment she thought she saw a familiar, dark-haired man sitting there, his toned back stretching the shirt across his shoulders. He turned and met her eyes, and her heart broke all over again when she saw that it wasn't Michael. Blinking to hold off the brimming emotions, Fiona turned away and sped up to move on as fast as possible.

"Fi, are you okay," Sam asked as she passed him and Elsa.

"I'm fine," she lied and didn't turn to address him. "I'm just a little chilled, that's all." She hugged herself and forced her eyes open to dry the tears, and hopefully when they returned to the hotel she could go upstairs and hide away before anyone saw the evidence of her sorrow.

"So, what are you all planning on doing tomorrow," Elsa asked.

"We've got to get over to Maddie's," Jesse answered. "The agency left her place looking like a dump."

"If you need help, I can be there," Sam volunteered. Elsa gave him a look, but he only squeezed her hand, telling her that he would have plenty of time for her. He needed to help his friends.

"We don't want you to have to give up your time with Elsa, Sam," Maddie said. "Fiona, Jesse, and I can handle it."

The group stopped in front of the hotel, and Sam turned to face them. "It doesn't matter that Mike isn't here. We're still a team, got it? And if one of us needs help, the others are there. Unless someone has a problem with that," he lectured, his eyes sliding toward Elsa for a moment.

"Sam's right." Everyone stared at Elsa with surprise. She put a smile on her face and added, "As a matter of fact, if there's anything I can do, I would be happy to help. You know what they say, many hands make light work."

"That's very sweet of you, Elsa, but if you'd only gotten a look at Madeline's house, you might rescind that offer," Fiona said. "There are roaches everywhere."

Elsa's nose wrinkled. "At least let me recommend an exterminator. I'll give him a call and have him show up later in the day. Perhaps you'll have everything cleaned up by then?"

"Thank you," Maddie said.

After saying goodnight, Maddie, Jesse, and Fiona stepped off the elevator on the tenth floor. Sam and Elsa rode it to the penthouse. He put an arm around her shoulders and with a look of love, he said, "That was really nice of you volunteering to work with us."

"I was just being gracious," she replied. "I was hoping we would have a few days alone, you and I. Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Yeah, but..."

She interrupted him. "But now you want to run off with your friends, so I figured if I couldn't beat them, why not join them."

"Elsa, it's only for one day. I promise." The doors opened and she exited the elevator to hurry to the door and unlock it. "Come on, honey. I swear, after this, it'll be just us for a few days, a week, however long you want."

She moved aside so Sam could enter the suite, and then she closed the door and spoke, her voice tight with irritation. "You and I both know that's not true. The only way I'll have you to myself is if we go somewhere, away from here. But you didn't want to go anywhere."

"Okay, maybe that was a bad idea," Sam muttered. He closed the distance between them, clasped her arms with his hands, and kneaded them as he encouraged her. "Elsa, look at me." In her eyes he saw jealousy. He never expected to see that, and he couldn't understand it. "Sweetheart, I don't get it. Why do you feel threatened by my friends? You didn't feel that way when Michael was around, did you?"

"No. It's just that I was hoping... I'm sorry, I'm just being selfish, that's what it is." She looked up into his eyes again and ran her hands up his chest to frame his face. "I missed you, and I was so afraid I'd lost you. But I was determined to wait, because I love you so much. Now that you're here I want you all to myself, but I should have thought about it."

"What do you mean?"

"You all need time to re-acclimate to life not on the run, and on top of it, Michael isn't here." She gave him a thin smile. "So I ask you to be patient with me when I get pouty and annoyed by your friends needing assistance. Okay? Because I can't promise I won't slip into an attitude now and then."

He laughed softly and kissed her. "I promise, baby." He wrapped his arms around her, and she slipped hers around his shoulders as the kiss deepened and sent sparks through their bodies. When he broke away, his voice was husky as he promised, "When you and I get married, we'll go away just the two of us, and no one will bother us. I swear it."

"I believe you," she replied. One thing she could always count on was Sam's word, unless something happened beyond his control, which happened frequently the past year. She hoped that now things would settle down and maybe they could enjoy a new sense of normal together.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

While Sam slept, Elsa watched over him in the soft light from her bedside lamp. He must have been exhausted, because when she touched him, he didn't even stir. Granted, she did get more than a little rambunctious in her celebrating his homecoming, but it went deeper than that. Almost four weeks earlier, he told her, he'd been shot. He was still in recovery mode, so she felt a little guilty about her behavior. Just a little. Elsa smiled.

Her fingers traced down to his left side and skirted around the ugly scarring where the bullet pierced him. She was thankful she hadn't been there. So many times over the past few months, she'd worried that something like that would happen and she would never know his fate. That was the worst part of his leaving; if he died, would she ever have gotten the news?

After Sam and his friends took her Jeep Cherokee and escaped from the marina, she called her driver to pick her up. He thought it was strange, but she wouldn't tell him why she left in her own vehicle and suddenly needed a ride. Later that afternoon, the first of many agents took a seat in her hotel lobby, pretending to read a book or a magazine, but they were in fact watching her. They knew where she lived and followed her home. When she needed to go on a trip, her private plane developed mechanical issues and was grounded, forcing her to fly commercial, allowing an agent to keep an eye on her at all times. It was insane, and it seemed to her to be a huge waste of taxpayers' money. When Sam explained why she was being followed, that they hoped he would contact her which would allow them to trace and find the group, it made sense. But that didn't mean she liked it.

Now Sam was home and the Riley woman and her henchmen were sitting in a secret jail somewhere waiting for a trial. It wasn't fair that Riley got better than she ever gave Michael and the team. There was nothing she could do about it, so Elsa decided it was best for everyone, including Fiona, Jesse, and Madeline, to get over it and move on. She yawned, stretched, and twisted around to turn off the light. Then she wrapped an arm around Sam's stomach, just above the scar, and settled in close to him.

Elsa was more than a little jealous of the bond they all shared. But she would rise above it and do what she could to help make their transition smoother. All for Sam's sake, because in the time he was gone, she'd come to realize just how much she loved and cherished him. If it hadn't been for Michael, Fiona, Jesse, and Madeline, and a few other people along the way, he would have died and she wouldn't have known the joy she felt at that moment. Knowing how much he loved her brought the sunshine back into her world. She hadn't felt this good in a long time, since before her husband died.

In the morning, Elsa and Sam shared breakfast in the penthouse suite dressed in matching robes and not much else. She was hoping to get a little snuggle time in before Sam left, but it was not to be. The phone rang, and she answered it. "Hello."

"Elsa?"

She recognized the voice. "Fiona. Good morning."

"Is Sam there," Fiona asked.

"Yes. Just a moment." She handed the receiver to him. "It's Fiona."

He had just emerged from the shower all warm and wet, with a towel wrapped around his midsection. Grinning at her and giving her a kiss across the space between them, he took it from her. "Hey, Fi. What's up?"

"We're ready to go to Madeline's whenever you are."

"Great. I'll put on my hazmat suit and meet you downstairs," Sam joked, then turned serious. "I'll be dressed in my grubbiest stuff. If it's as bad as you're saying, I don't wanna mess up any more of my good shirts." He lost a couple getting shot and setting up the trap for Riley. That was enough.

"Is Elsa coming too?"

"I don't know. Are you inviting her," Sam asked as he glanced at Elsa, who strode across the room with her coffee cup heading to the bedroom to change. He sighed, all hope of having a little together time for a few minutes was out of the question now.

"If she wants to come, she's welcome," Fiona answered. "But I doubt she'd want to. Really, Sam, it's disgusting over there, and I just can't see a woman like her getting her hands dirty that way."

Sam hoped that wasn't some kind of slam against the woman he loved, not after all Elsa contributed to their cases and the flight from the CIA. He decided to ignore it, because maybe he heard her wrong, and he didn't want to discuss it with Elsa within hearing distance.

"No, I don't think she'll be coming along. When will you be in the lobby?"

"In about a minute or two. We're waiting for the elevator."

Sam groaned. "Okay, I'll be there in five." He hung up the phone and hurried into the bedroom. "I've gotta get going, baby." He rushed around the room, picking out a pair of jeans from the closet, and a t-shirt and underwear from the dresser. One thing he didn't have to worry about was clothes. Elsa loved keeping Sam in his style and always kept full drawers and a closet for him.

"I know. I really would come and help, but I have some important meetings today." She approached him and put her arms around his neck. "Just be careful and don't cut yourself or something and get tetanus or God knows what else."

He laughed. "Don't worry, I'm up to date on my shots."

She kissed him, sinking into his chest and deepening the contact when he dropped his clothes on the bed. It made her feel good to push his buttons, and that after all the time he was away, he was still so easy to detain. She didn't expect him to gently pull away, but he did and gave her a smile that told her she'd done something to him.

"Let's save that for later," he spoke with a soft, husky voice. After one more quick kiss, he snatched up his things and disappeared into the bathroom to change. A couple of minutes later he emerged fully clothed and ready to go. He pecked Elsa on the cheek. "See you later, sweetheart."

Then he was gone, and Elsa wondered if she should cancel her appointments. She shook her head. So silly. He'll be fine. But she couldn't help feeling a strange sense of loss with him gone. He will come back. He's just going to help some friends! How ridiculous can you be? Letting out a deep breath, Elsa finished dressing for work and resolved to not worry about Sam. He would be okay and come home safe at the end of the day.

* * *

"Good morning," Sam said as he greeted Jesse, Fiona, and Maddie in the lobby. "Are we ready to do some cleanup?"

"As ready as we'll ever be," Jesse answered. "We'll have to stop at the store and pick up some cleaning supplies first."

"Wait a second. I'll be right back," Sam said with a wink. "Hey, Jesse, come with me." He beckoned Jesse to follow him, and the younger man fell into step with Sam as he hurried down a hall.

"Where are we going?"

"Housekeeping. I'm sure they've got a lot of commercial grade chemicals and cleaning supplies that we can use to get Maddie's place spotless." He arrived at the housekeeping office and found a short, overweight maid stocking up her cart.

The woman turned and gave Sam a wide grin. In halting English, she spoke. "Welcome back, Senor Axe. Senora Darabant she glad you here, si?"

"Yes, she is." Sam smiled. "It's good to be back. I was wondering if I could get some things here to, uh, well, we're doing something, and I just need a few cleaning supplies."

She looked at him with a wary eye. "You no building bomba in hotel."

"Shhhh," Sam held up a finger to quiet her. "No, we're not. We have a project that requires some of this stuff." He moved toward a storage rack and pulled a few gallon jugs from the shelves. He handed them to Jesse and grabbed several other containers, a mop, bucket, sponges, and gloves. "We'll bring back what we don't use. I promise."

"Oh, okay." She still appeared less than convinced. Obviously, his reputation with Michael and his merry band had gotten around to the staff.

Sam and Jesse grinned and nodded, and the two hurried out to meet Fiona and Maddie at the valet parking. The two threw everything into the trunk and got into Jesse's car. Fiona and Maddie got in back, and the men rode up front.

When they arrived at the house, they gaped at the number of vehicles parked on the street. Two vans, one parked in front of the house, and another on the side street, but one vehicle stood out and caused their breaths to catch. Michael's black Charger sat in the driveway. Its polished surface glinted in the morning sun, the chrome sparkled, and even the tires looked showroom new. When Sam got out of Jesse's car and peered inside, he didn't think he'd ever seen the white vinyl look so bright before.

Fiona's head swiveled around wildly, searching for the driver. "Michael," she muttered, then shook her head. It couldn't have been him. He was in DC.

Someone left the back door open and sounds of a high pitched motor running inside bled outside. As the four approached the door, a white garbage bag emerged, followed by another, and the person who carried them lowered the bags as he descended the stairs.

"Michael," Fiona cried. "What are you doing here?"

Michael's eyes lit on Fiona, and he stared at her. The bags dropped to the ground, along with the heavy gloves he wore, and in three strides he met her on the narrow walkway, holding her in his arms, kissing her cheek, moving to her lips. The others stood waiting with amused expressions on their faces. He must have felt uncomfortable with them staring, because his cheeks flushed slightly as he looked up and smiled warmly at them.

Of all of them, Sam was the most pleased. "You're a few days early for the wedding, Mikey."

He chuckled with a nervous beat. "Yeah, well, when I heard about what Riley's men had done to the house, I had to come and see what I could do." His eyes met Maddie's and reflected sadness and regret. "I'm sorry, Ma. This never should have happened. I've got a crew in there right now, and they'll have everything fixed up in no time. The power is being restored this morning, and everything will be back to normal."

Maddie blinked and took Fiona's place in his arms. "Oh, Michael. You mean to tell me you put whatever you were doing on hold to come clean my house? That's... that's crazy!" She smirked. "I couldn't get you to clean when you were growing up, why now?"

Her statement got the response she hoped for. He laughed. "I had to be here for Sam's wedding. No way was I going to miss that."

Fiona stood to the side with her arms crossed. "You can take off to clean your mum's house, and be at Sam's wedding, but you... you couldn't stay here... with me?"

Her words stuck him like a machete in the heart. Michael winced and broke from his mother's embrace to turn to her. "Fi, I'm sorry. It's not as simple as you think. I've been put in a position of authority at the agency. I should have gone to prison for killing Card. All of us should have gone to prison for what we did." He swallowed. "But by agreeing to head a task force to weed out and take down the last of the agents who worked with Card, I was able to redeem myself, and all of us. As long as I do what they want, you all will be free."

"But how did you manage to get time off to come here," Jesse asked.

He shrugged. "Believe it or not, not everybody in the government is heartless. Dan Siebels, my old handler, pulled some strings for me." Michael gave them a sheepish smile. "I think he's hoping that after I fulfill my obligations, that I'll come back permanently."

Fiona stared at him with wide eyes. That was the last thing she wanted to hear. Michael reached out for her cheek, but she pulled away. His brow creased, sorry that he hurt her. "Fi, I promise you, this is it. Once I finish this and make things right, like I promised Sam, promised all of you, I'm done. I won't let them rope me into working for the CIA forever."

"At least you hope not," Fiona said. "Somehow, you always wind up back with them. It's like an addiction that you can't shake. Until I see you out of their grip, I won't believe it." She shook her head and turned away. "I'm sorry, Michael." She skirted around the group and headed for the house. "We came here to clean up. Let's clean up already!"

Michael was stunned. He looked like Fiona had just kicked him in the stomach. Sam came forward and placed a hand on his upper arm. "It's okay, Mike. She... she just needs time."

"She doesn't believe me." Michael shook his head, swallowing back his own disbelief. "She doesn't trust me, and I can't blame her." He gazed at Sam. "And I know I haven't got a leg to stand on to convince her that this time is different."

"Only time can prove your words, Mikey." Sam patted his shoulder. "If I were you, I'd make damn sure you find a way to come home every couple months or so. Show her that you're not going to forget the promise you made that you would quit. Maybe if she sees that you aren't as chained to the CIA as she thinks, she might see some hope in your future together."

"You're right, Sam. Thanks." Michael took a breath and sniffled softly.

"Anytime, brother." Sam squeezed his shoulder and moved past him. "Like Fi said, we're here to clean, so we're going to clean."

"There are professionals in there, Sam. They've done most of it already." Michael put on his gloves before picking up the stinky garbage bags.

"What about the, uh, roach situation," Sam asked.

"It's looking like they'll have to fumigate the house." He turned to Maddie. "Ma, is there some place you can stay for a few days?"

"Yeah, she's staying at the hotel with Jesse and Fi," Sam answered for her. With a smile, he added, "They're welcome to stay as long as necessary."

"Thanks again, Sam. And tell Elsa I'll gladly pay for whatever..."

"No way, Mike. This is on the house." Sam climbed the steps and entered Maddie's home. Maddie and Jesse followed, and Michael tossed the bags into a small dumpster that took up a space next to the driveway.

His nose wrinkled at the stench. He was glad that the people the agency hired were able to take care of things without his friends and his mother having to deal with it. They'd had to put up with too much garbage as fallout from his maniacal life. He stared at the house, wishing he could protect them from all that, but it would be like trying to hold back the ocean. His life washed over all his friends and family, and he was thankful that they were willing to endure it for him. He never realized before how much love sacrificed. It was because of their love that his mom, Fi and Sam, and even Jesse, stuck by him no matter how bad things got. Michael owed it to them all to come out of this alive and well and return home for good.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

No one anticipated finishing up the cleanup so soon. With nothing else planned, and Maddie's house being closed up tight for the fumigation, the group decided to go back to the hotel.

"Hey Mike, where are you staying," Sam asked.

"I, uh, I haven't checked in anywhere yet," Michael answered as his eyes focused on Fiona. "I was thinking that I would find out where Fi was first. Maybe if I begged hard enough, she'd let me stay with her." He gave her a sweet grin and his eyes flashed a plea for sympathy.

Fiona stared, unable to form a quick, tart reply. She was still angry with him for the way he left. He had a lot of nerve to think he could just come back and slink into her bed as if he hadn't abandoned her. First Ireland, now here. How much more did he think she could take?

Sam witnessed the silent exchange between them, and he was a little scared that he could read Fiona like a book. With a chuckle and a disarming smile, he said, "No problem, Mikey. If that doesn't work out for ya, you can stay in the penthouse. Elsa and I will just go to the mansion. Better yet, we could all go there and then we'd all be in one place. Together again, like old times." He smirked. "At least this time we won't be on the run and nobody gets shot. Right?"

Michael turned to Sam, his face bearing the lines of tension between him and Fiona. He nodded. "That sounds like a great idea, as long as Elsa's okay with it."

Sam flapped a hand in dismissal. "She'll be fine with it. I'll call her and tell her we're on the way to the house."

"We need to pick up our stuff at the hotel," Maddie said, her gaze falling on the trio. Jesse, who stood beside her, nodded.

"Yeah, you're right." Sam stood a moment in thought. "Well, let's go to the hotel first, then the house. That'll work." He flashed a cocked grin. "It'll give me a chance to talk to Elsa in person."

After sensing that Elsa was feeling left out and jealous of Sam's friends and their bond, he knew that inviting them to the mansion could be asking for trouble. Or it could be a blessing in disguise, a chance for her to get into their little circle. Speaking with her about it face to face was the best option, because when he combined words with certain actions, she was powerless to his persuasions. As much as she liked to think she was in control of their relationship, Sam knew he was the one who really held the reins.

Elsa was in her office, so Sam broke away from the group to let them pack while he took care of Big Momma. She let him in and scanned him from head to toe and back, expecting him to be dirty from his labors.

"It must not have been too bad at Madeline's," Elsa said, standing before him with a puzzled expression. "I wasn't expecting you to be back until later this afternoon."

"Is that a problem?" Sam's eyebrow went up.

Her smile held no secrets as she said, "No. I'm just saying I thought this would be an all day job and you'd come home stinking to high heaven. What happened?"

"Mike was there and he brought an army of housecleaners with him. They had the thing practically finished by the time we got there, at least all the really dirty stuff." He replied and said, "I invited them all to stay at the mansion instead of the hotel. It's only for a few days, baby, and they'll be out by the wedding. Maddie's place needs to be fumigated."

"I see." Elsa nodded. She tried to hide her annoyance, but Sam read her too well.

"It's okay, isn't it?" He held her arms and rubbed them, looking deep into her eyes. "We're all still dealing with the aftermath of being on the run. We just need a little time to get used to the fact that we don't have to be chained at the hip anymore."

"And you expect that to happen in three days," Elsa said, looking at him with doubt.

"Well, probably not. But you and I are going on that catamaran cruise, remember?" He grinned as he took her into his arms, and he planted a slow sensual kiss in the crook of her neck. A soft sigh escaped her, and he continued blazing a trail to her lips. He easily invaded and captured them, and when he let go, he asked with a breathy voice, "You haven't forgotten about that, have you?"

"No," she replied on a sigh, a soft smile on her face, her eyes in an almost trance-like state. He had a way of doing that to her, and there was no way to resist him. "Where are we going?"

"I don't know. The Bahamas? It's close enough. Jamaica?" Sam shook his head. "I don't care. I just want to be with you. We could park in the middle of the ocean and stay there for a week, or two, for all I care." He kissed her jawline, pleased at the way she melted into him and how her breath came in soft flutters against his cheek.

"Oh, Sammy, you're doing it to me again," Elsa said and tried to work her way out of his arms. "You know I can't think straight... and I don't care." She kissed him fully, pressing closer, basking in the warmth of his hands spanning her back. "I missed this so much. I don't care what we do either. I just want to get away with you."

"So it's a plan. But until the wedding, you'll allow me to entertain my friends at the house, and they can stay until we return. By then, everyone should have found a place to live."

"Mmmhmmm," Elsa replied, leaning her backside against her desk and diving deeper into Sam.

Michael stood with Fiona, Maddie and Jesse in the lobby, surrounded by luggage. He checked his watch fro the tenth time and sighed.

"Sam must be having a little trouble convincing Elsa to let us stay at the house," Jesse suggested.

"Oh, I'm sure he's having no trouble with that," Fiona declared with a sly smile, her eyes sparking as she glanced at Michael. "He's probably working things out with her right now."

The innuendo in her statement caused Michael's cheeks to flush oh so slightly. They heard a door close and Sam appeared outside Elsa's office. All eyes were on him as he straightened his shirt front and headed toward them with a pleased smile on his face. Fiona's widened and she gave Michael a look.

Sometimes it scared Michael that he and Fiona could have a complete conversation without saying a word to each other. He'd heard of couples having that ability, people who were bonded for life and nothing could tear them apart. He felt that way about Fiona. If only she could see that, and this stint with the CIA was the final bump in the road before they would be together forever. He fought hard to get this time back in Miami. He was supposed to be on a plane to Istanbul to chase down a lead on some rogue agents. Instead, he delegated the work to other agents he could trust and he demanded the time off.

Michael would never forget the look on Raines' face when he walked into his office unannounced. He stared up from his paperwork and asked, "What are you doing here, Westen? I thought you were on your way to the airport."

"I will be, in awhile. But I'm not going to Istanbul." Michael said it, no hesitation, and a tone that said there would be no backing down.

"Really. You have another, more important lead?" Raines set the paperwork aside and indicated a chair for Michael to sit.

Michael took the chair, leaned forward, his hands folded and his elbows resting on the arms. "No, I'm going to Miami. Sam is getting married on Saturday, and I always promised I would be there if and when it happened. I can't break that promise."

The corner of Raines' mouth tipped up. "We've got important business here, Michael. When we've cleaned up the agency, there'll be time for personal things."

"I'm not waiting." Michael's butt was half out of the seat as he closed the distance between himself and Raines. "I have sacrificed too many 'personal things' at the expense of cleaning and clearing up this mess. You have my body, for the time being, but you don't own my soul. There are people I love back in Miami who have given up way too much for me. I have tried to pay them back by giving myself up to you, but I still owe them, and I know I can never completely make up for everything. But I'm going to Miami for a few days to make good on a promise to Sam. Then I'll be back on Monday and I'll be yours again." He paused, letting his words sink into Raines' head. "Deal?" He glared at him as if the only answer he would accept was a yes.

"What happens if I say no? You go anyway?" Raines narrowed his eyes and sat back in his chair. "You do that, and you're on the blacklist again, Michael. I've always liked you. You're one of the best agents we have, and I'd hate to see you ruin your career like that."

Michael smirked, but in a heartbeat his face turned stony and serious. "There was a time when that would have scared me. Not anymore. If you want to burn me and let someone else clean up the agency, go for it. You know that I'm through when this is over." He swiped his hands as if washing himself clean of the agency, and he stood. "I'm going to finish making my travel arrangements. So what's it going to be, Raines? I go to Miami and come back Monday, and we finish this. Or I just quit now and you do whatever you feel necessary."

"You don't want that, Michael. Think about what you've been through for the past six, almost seven years."

"And I made it through. I'll do it again." He crossed his arms. "It won't work, throwing that in my face, and you know it."

Raines let out a long sigh. He knew Michael was right. "Okay, fine. You can go and do your so-called duty fulfilling a promise. But if you're not back in my office by eight on Monday morning, I'm calling the dogs out on you." His steely eyes met Michael's equally determined face. "Count on it."

"I'll be here." He turned, opened the door, and over his shoulder, he shot, "I promise."

Michael smiled at the memory. Ever since he walked out that door, he felt free. He wasn't really, not yet. But with every development he edged closer, and whenever he pushed a little and Raines gave in, he knew that when the time came he could break away from the agency with little fuss.

"Hey Mikey. Hey," Sam said as he snapped his fingers in front of Michael's face. "I wasn't gone that long for you to fall asleep standing up. Jeez!"

"Oh, sorry, Sam. Just thinking."

Sam stared at him. This was not the Michael Westen he knew. "You're getting soft, pal. I could have flipped you to the floor before you knew what was going on."

"I'll have to watch that," he said with a grin. "So, is Elsa okay with us at the house?"

"No problem." Sam smiled and licked his lips. "I just had to do a little, um, negotiation. That's all. But don't worry, it's all good." He inclined his head toward the door. "Let's go. I've got the Caddy out front, and the Charger's there too."

"We have Jesse's rental car," Maddie said.

"We'll just caravan it, then," Sam said. "I'll lead and make sure that Luisa has the rooms ready." He walked out ahead of them. Jesse picked up Maddie's bags and his and led her to his car. That left Michael and Fiona alone.

Fiona made a move to take her case and follow, but Michael stopped her with a hand on her arm. "Fi. Will you..." He swallowed, suddenly feeling like a kid in high school asking the homecoming queen for a dance. "Will you ride with me? Please?"

Fiona turned, and she saw the emotion in his eyes. It brought back memories to the time when they first met and the fever she had for him. Despite his job, things were so much simpler then. He knew it, and in his eyes she saw a desperate plea for a chance to simplify things again. Could they ever go back? She shook her head, uncertain.

Michael registered her head shaking as rejection. His eyes lowered and he jingled his keys in his hand. "Okay. Well, I guess I'll see you at Sam's..." He made a move, but she stopped him by gripping his arm.

"Michael, I wasn't turning you down," she said, a small smile forming on her face. "I was thinking about something else. Yes, I'll ride with you."

When his head came back up, he saw her smile and his own lips spread wide. "Good. Let me get that for you."

"Michael, I can handle my own luggage," Fiona protested as she held it out of his reach.

He lunged forward, grabbed the handle, and wrangled it from her. His smile turned into a grin, and he offered her his free hand. "Please, just let me do this for you, will you?"

She blinked twice. This was a side of him she'd not seen in a long time. Maybe there was still hope for them to go back to the carefree nights in Ireland. If he wasn't under the CIA thumb, and she didn't have people who wanted her dead, they could have literally gone back to her home. For now, Miami with Michael was good enough.

Sam's car was parked in front of the garage and Jesse's sat in the circular drive when Michael and Fiona arrived. He parked the Charger, retrieved their luggage from the trunk, and joined Fiona at the front door. She rang the doorbell, and the maid answered.

"Ah, Mr. and Mrs. Westen," Luisa announced with a bright smile.

Michael and Fiona glanced at each other. She was mistaken, but neither of them corrected her. Michael waited for Fiona to say something, but she didn't. She was waiting for him to speak, and when he didn't, a sly smile played on her lips.

"Come in! Everyone is settling in, and then they were going out to the pool," Luisa said as she led them to the staircase. "I have a beautiful room set up for you with a lovely view of the bay."

She stopped in front of a room at the end of the hall. It was huge, with a sitting area in addition to the bed and two dressers, night stands, and a bench at the foot of the king size bed. A couch and two chairs were situated near the large windows, and nearby, a set of French doors opened onto a balcony. The furnishings were rich, dark wood with cream and gold fabrics. Splashes of red and dark tan accentuated the main theme through the curtains and throw pillows on the bed and couch.

"It's lovely," Fiona said in awe. "Thank you."

"It was Mr. Axe's idea to give you two this room. I'm sure he'll be glad to know that you approve." She gave the two a shy smile. "If there is anything you need, please let me know."

"Thank you," Michael said as he stepped into the room and set the suitcases on the area rug. The floor was a highly polished bamboo that contrasted nicely with the dark wood.

"Elsa has quite the decorator." Fiona entered the room and wandered around, examining the pieces of art that hung on the walls. When she was at the farthest point from Michael, she asked, "You don't have a problem sharing a room with me, do you?" She turned her eyes on him.

"Why would I? The question is, would you have a problem sharing a room with me?"

"I've decided that even though I can't have all of you, I'll take what I can get, when I can get it," she said and closed the distance between them.

As he took her into his arms, he said, "I think I need to tell you how I wound up here."

She held him close, basking in his warmth. "Not now. It doesn't matter."

A few minutes later, the bedroom door closed out the world while Michael and Fiona spent some time alone. It was a luxury they hadn't had for months, and it was as if they had a lot of reacquainting to do. The pool and their friends could wait. They knew that no one would mind. Judging by the splashing and talking that drifted up from down below and through the open French door, they had nothing to be concerned about.

Fiona lay in the crook of Michael's arm, her limb flung across his stomach, her fingers sensing every inch of skin on his chest. She sighed in contentment, ending with a moan of delight. "Michael?"

"Hmmm," he replied. Fiona's soft touch made him feel safe, secure, and sleepy. He couldn't imagine being in a better place.

"Thank you for coming home," she said. "I needed this."

"I needed this too," he responded. Then he told her how he fought for the time off, and as he relayed every detail, he watched her eyes grow wide with love and awe. He knew then that he'd redeemed himself in a small way and she'd forgiven him for his shocking news. He ended by saying, "I hope you can see now that I meant what I said. I'm working toward getting out, and when I do, you and I will be Mr. and Mrs. Westen. If that's what you want, I want it too." His lips touched hers for a brief kiss. "What do you say, Fi? We make this bond of ours official?"

"Yes. But why wait? Why don't we do it now? Then I'll know for sure that you'll come home to me." She smiled. "Or we can work together again. Well, we could do that single or married, but I'd much prefer being married to you."

Michael laughed and let his body fall back onto the pillows. "Oh Fi, I was hoping you'd get some time away from the craziness. Instead, you want to jump right back in?"

"As long as we're together. That's all that matters to me." She looked at him with such intensity, he knew it was true.

"You'd do that for me." Words stuck in his throat as he gathered her and lay her over his body. In a whisper he said, "Fi, I love you so much." In the back of his mind, there was a "But..." He couldn't speak it, and he couldn't let her know that he had no intention of putting her in harm's way again. It would ruin everything. She was so good and loving now after he'd hurt her so deeply. Telling her now would only tear her apart. And himself. It would spoil the time they had left, and he didn't want her last memory of him to be bad, just in case something happened to him and he didn't come back. He would give her what she wanted, make her his wife, but as far as accompanying him in his mission, that was out of the question. If he had to take her to Washington to see Raines face to face and get the truth, that's what he would do.

In the meantime, he vowed to forget about it and have a good time.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Fiona, Madeline, I need your help," Elsa said at breakfast the next morning. "Since this wedding is pretty much last minute, I haven't put anything together. I don't even have a dress that I want to get married in." She grinned sheepishly. "Would you ladies go shopping with me today to help me pick out something?"

"Of course," Maddie answered.

"Absolutely," Fiona agreed with a pleasant smile, but her eyes reflected jealousy.

Elsa nodded and her smile widened. "Thank you. I've already got something in mind for Sam to wear, I just need to buy it. Then we'll hunt for something that's compatible with his outfit." She glanced at Sam. "I think you guys can take care of yourselves today."

"Of course, baby." Sam reached for her hand and kissed it. "Just remember this is a beach wedding, no need for monkey suits."

"You trust me, don't you?" Her eyebrow twitched upward.

"You know I do, and your sense of taste is impeccable. You girls have a good time."

With a kiss for good luck, Elsa left the house with Maddie and Fiona. As a new member to the family, she wasn't yet certain how she would fit in. Maddie and Fiona didn't seem to have any qualms about her, and in fact once she relaxed Elsa began to feel as if she'd always been friends with them. They shopped at several dress stores besides a bridal shop, and she found a dress that was simple in its shape but intricately detailed with beads and sequins. She bought it along with a pair of shoes and a decorative comb that Fiona insisted would look stunning in her hair.

The women took a break from the shopping to grab some lunch at Carlito's. "I'm surprised that the boys aren't here," Madeline said.

"It's probably just as well," Fiona exclaimed with a smile full of mischief. "I don't know about you two ladies, but I'm having too much fun to put up with the men interrupting our expedition!" She ordered a bloody Mary, while Maddie opted for a beer, and Elsa went for an iced tea. "Oh Elsa, you should let loose a little. Have something with a bit of a kick to it." Fiona grinned.

"I would, but someone has to drive you two back home," Elsa declared and laughed. She settled into her seat and looked around the place before letting her eyes fall on the two women who sat at the round table with her. "So this is where you and Sam, Michael, and Jesse worked on cases, huh?"

"If Michael ever gets out of the CIA, we will again," Fiona replied and sucked on her celery.

Elsa nodded. "Do you think he'll ever ask you to marry him?"

"Well, he did, in a round about way." Fiona shrugged.

"He did? When?" Elsa and Maddie chimed in and leaned into the table.

"Oh, this we've got to hear," Elsa added, bouncing in her seat, as excited as a school girl waiting to hear about her friend's good fortune.

"It was really the most unromantic proposal ever," Fiona admitted and told them about Michael's offer made in bed the night before. "If I wasn't so insanely desperate to get any kind of proposal out of him, I would have turned him down flat until he could come up with something better."

The ladies laughed, and Elsa shook her head in bemusement. "I don't understand why it's so difficult for men to propose. Evan Sr., my first husband, asked me to marry him while we were sailing, in the middle of a storm trying to get back to land. I was soaked to the skin, and he didn't even have a ring with him. Talk about poor planning!" The women laughed, and when they settled down, Elsa continued. "Frankly, I think Michael is an idiot. It's obvious how much you love him, and he tries to be oblivious, but he's as transparent as glass when he's around you." Elsa gave her a tender smile. "It shows. He's nuts about you."

"I'll be honest with you, Elsa. The man has the uncanny ability to size up a booby trap in five seconds, and yet he can't get up the nerve to do it right and ask me in a more appropriate manner. After all this time!" She sighed. "I've given up all hope."

"Oh, Fiona," Maddie cried. "Michael is, well, lacking in some areas. Maybe I'm to blame for that, I don't know."

"I suspect he's been a spy for so long he doesn't know there are rules of courting and proposing and all that," Elsa suggested. "Don't worry. If I were you I'd take that proposal and run with it, tell him today that you want to go get the marriage license and join us on the beach this Saturday."

"No, Elsa, it's your day," Fiona exclaimed, her frown serious. "I wouldn't want to take away from you."

"Fiona, I've been through all this before, remember? When I married Evan, I went through the whole pomp and expense to have a fairy tale wedding, when all I really wanted was to stand before our family and friends and get married, simply." She took a sip of her drink. "Having that with Sam is... well, it's refreshing. I would love to share it with you and Michael before he runs off again."

"You're serious, aren't you," Fiona said, staring at Elsa, unable to believe the woman's charity.

Reaching across the table, Elsa placed a hand on her arm. "Fi, I know it would make my day, and Sam's. Please, talk to Michael about it tonight, okay?" Her smile widened. "And that dress you found is the perfect wedding gown. It would be a shame for it to be just a bridesmaid's dress."

As she smiled at Elsa, Fiona blinked back tears. "I'm overwhelmed with your kindness. Thank you."

"Maybe we should go back to the house after lunch," Maddie said. "If Michael is there, we can get him pinned down and convince him that this is a good plan."

"I like that idea." Elsa nodded. Their lunches arrived at that moment, and Elsa sat back to allow the server to place hers in front of her. "Well, ladies, we still have some planning to do. Let's get to it, and after lunch, we'll go back to the house and corral Michael." She gave Fiona a sly smile. "Think it'll take the three of us to hold him down?"

"No, I think I can persuade him to take a walk with me," Fiona said, returning the smile.

"Good. There's a nice private beach not far from the house. Maybe you can go there to talk. The rest of us will just hang out and wait for you."

The women returned to the house and found that the men were gone. Sam left a note on the kitchen counter. "Went on some errands, be back later. Love, Sammy."

"Well, there goes that plan," Elsa muttered, but she changed to a lighter tone and pasted on a smile for Fiona's benefit. "I'm taking my things upstairs, and then I'm putting on my suit. I don't get much chance to do this, so I'm exploiting this time for all it's worth. Ladies?"

"That sounds like a good idea," Maddie said. "Fiona?"

"Sure. It's hot out there. A dip in the pool will be nice." She moved ahead of Elsa and Maddie and trotted upstairs.

Elsa glanced at Maddie, and the older woman shook her head. When Fiona got into a mood, there was no use trying to make her feel better. Maddie knew that Michael had the power, and the might, when necessary, to make things right. Perhaps that night he would. All they could do was hope.

* * *

Sam was glad to see that things appeared to be back to normal with Mike and Fiona, but he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something bubbling under the surface, and it wasn't passion. He kept an eye on the two at dinner, noting how they put up a good front that wasn't fooling anyone. They needed to hash it out whatever it was that bothered them and get past it. After dinner, Sam suggested that the couple take a walk.

"The sunset is really gorgeous around the west side of the island," he said, adding, "There's a nice little private beach there, too. I guarantee you'll love it."

"It sounds like a splendid idea, Michael." Fiona said as she took Michael's hand and couldn't help but think that Elsa had suggested the same thing earlier. Those two really were on the same wavelength.

"You guys don't need us for anything, do you," Michael asked.

Sam replied as he shooed them toward the door. "Mikey, the idea was for us to hang out together so we could wean ourselves off each other, remember? Go on, you two. We'll be fine. Besides, you guys need some re-bonding time." He winked and pushed them out the door with gentle hands, and he closed the door behind them, leaving the couple standing on the front steps.

"Wow. I guess he won't take no for an answer," Michael muttered. He realized how bad that sounded and amended, "Not that I didn't want to go walking with you, Fi."

"Of course, I understand completely," she said and began walking.

He trotted to catch up to her.

The moment Michael and Fiona were gone, the others retreated to the pool deck. Elsa took her place beside Sam in a matching chair at the umbrella table. Jesse and Maddie sat across from them.

"I didn't think we'd ever get those two out of here," Sam said. He glanced at Jesse, Maddie and Elsa and asked, "Does anybody here know what's going on with them? It's like there's some secret between them and Fi is waiting for Mike to do something about it."

"Fiona told us today that Michael asked her to marry him," Maddie said.

At the sight of Sam's jaw dropping, Elsa added, "But he didn't do a very good job of it. We're hoping he rectifies that, and soon."

"He must want to get married to her," Jesse piped up. "I mean, why would he work so hard to make it back here for a little while?"

Sam cleared his throat. "Maybe he wanted to stand up at his best friend's wedding?"

Jesse laughed. "Well, besides that."

"He said he's supposed to be back on Monday," Elsa said, her brow furrowed with worry. "I don't know how he's going to get a license and marry Fiona before he leaves. Saturday is only a couple days away."

Maddie spoke. "He gets this from his father, you know, this stubbornness."

"Oh really," Jesse said with eyes narrowed at her in disbelief. "If I recall while we were on the run you were quite stubborn about a few things yourself."

Sam pointed at her and said, "Jesse's right, Maddie. I never met Mike's dad, but I bet Mike's got a lot more of you in him than his old man."

"If that's true, then why did Michael give Fiona such a backhanded proposal? They should have gone to dinner and done it the way a woman wants to be asked." Maddie frowned. "Even Frank had the good sense to get down on one knee."

No one could answer Maddie's question. Finally, Elsa let out a breath and stood, holding out her hand for Sam to take it.

"Where are we going?" Sam looked up at her. Asking the question was just a front, because he knew the answer.

"I'm feeling like taking a little walk. Please, come with me."

"Our guests..."

Maddie smirked at him and lit a cigarette. "We'll be fine, Sam. You and Elsa go enjoy yourselves."

When they walked out the front door, Elsa took a left, going in the opposite direction of where Sam sent Michael and Fiona on a walk. Sam swung their hands between them as he studied Elsa. "Why'd you wanna take a walk?"

"Well, I was thinking. You know people at city hall, don't you?"

"I know a guy who knows a guy." His brows came down in an expression that said he wasn't sure what she was thinking. "Why?"

"Maybe you can call your friend and have him contact his friend to get Michael and Fiona a wedding license that they can use on Saturday."

His face lit up. "Oh, and we do a double wedding? You're okay with that?"

"Yes. I've had time to spend with Fiona, and she's nice. I like her." She stopped and turned to face Sam, taking his other hand so she held both in the space between them. She frowned and said, "It breaks my heart that Michael is only here for a little while, and she won't get her dream."

"Maybe he doesn't really want to marry her."

Elsa let out a sound of exasperation and rolled her eyes. "Sam! They've been together how long now, and you have the audacity to say that? No, wait, stupidity. Men!" She huffed, released his hands, and turned back to walking along the side of the road.

Sam grabbed her arm to stop her. "Hey, I'm sorry. I just know Mike, that's all. If he does want to get married, he's probably too scared to ask, and that's why he did such a poor job of it. Personally, I don't get why you women have to have the hearts and flowers and all that stuff along with a request."

"A request?" She gaped. "Sam, he's not asking her if she wants a sandwich on whole wheat or rye. This is the biggest decision of a woman's life, and we all hope it's the same for a man. It's so weighty that it deserves care and planning."

Sam sighed. "I'm sorry, I failed you." He thought back to how he proposed.

Elsa's mood turned and she smiled at him and caressed his cheek. "Serving me breakfast in bed with the china and the rose in the vase, and you made my eggs just the way I like them... then you asked. That, my love, was a very worthy proposal." She moved her hand away and kissed his cheek. "It was lovely." She turned serious again and said, "Michael just asked, and it was almost like an afterthought compared to the way you did it."

"That's not Mike's style, that's all." Sam defended him and shook his head. "I still think you're making a bigger deal out of this than it needs to be."

"Michael can't afford to be so dense." Elsa ground the words out between gritted teeth. "If he's not careful, he's going to lose her. Fi loves him so much, but I don't think she can take much more." She sniffled. "If he leaves and there's no ring on her finger, I'm afraid that the next time he wants to come home, he won't find Fiona there."

"You really think so?"

"I know it. She pretty much told us so while we were out shopping." She stopped again and turned to him. "Sam, promise me that you'll talk to Michael if they come back from their walk and Fiona doesn't have good news to report. Please?"

Sam closed the distance between them, took her hands and held them to his chest. "I swear, I'll talk to Mike. You're right, he's dragged his feet long enough." He kissed her hands. "I really love how perceptive you are, honey. I'm so grateful to have you in my life."

"And you, despite being really clueless sometimes," she replied with a laugh, "are a sweet, caring man. I wasn't thrilled at first having your friends in my house, but I understand your motivation. It was the best thing for everyone, to help them get their equilibrium and move on." She pulled her hands from his grip and slipped her arms around his shoulders. "I love you so much."

"I love you too, baby." He kissed her in the waning light, and the streetlamp flickered to life above them, startling enough to break them apart. Sam smiled at Elsa, taking her hand and leading her back to the house. "Let's go see if Mike and Fi are back. If they are, we'll see if I have to have an intervention. Maybe Jesse should join me for a little more incentive."

"Ooooh, ganging up, I like that." She chuckled and bumped her hip into his.

Sam laughed and responded with a bump of his own, and when she rebounded, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek. "I hope we can get this worked out, because I really want to get on that boat after the party and be alone with you for awhile." His lips found a spot on her neck and kissed it, causing her to curl into his body.

"Hey now, we're almost back to the house." She pushed away and pointed at him. "You behave and think about what you're going to say to Michael."

"Yeah, yeah." He trotted up the steps with her beside him and opened the door, letting her inside ahead of him.

Jesse and Maddie still sat out on the deck enjoying a couple of beers. Fiona sat on the end of a lounge chair, leaning forward, elbows on her knees and her hands folded and hanging in the air. She stared at the last of the sunset sinking over the bay. Michael was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey, where's Mike," Sam asked as he studied Fiona's body language. Maybe he was dense like Elsa said, because he couldn't figure out what was going through her head. Her left hand was hidden, so he couldn't tell if she had a ring or not.

"Michael is inside," Maddie replied with a tightness in her voice. "He had to make a phone call."

"Okay. Wh..."

"Sam, will you help me bring out some drinks for everybody?" Elsa asked and tilted her head toward the house.

"Sure, sweetheart." He hurried inside with Elsa, and the moment they entered the kitchen, he asked, "What's up? What did you make of the way Fi was sitting there? She didn't look sad, did she?"

"No, just disappointed." Elsa sighed.

"I didn't see a ring, but she didn't make it easy to see. I would think she'd be showing it off if he gave her one."

"I know." Elsa pulled out some beers from the refrigerator. "I think you need to track down Michael and find out what happened."

Sam nodded and winked. "Save me one of those beers."

He tried the bedroom first, and he found Michael there just finishing up his call. He spotted Sam and hung up, and he slipped his phone into his pocket. "Hey, Sam."

"Hey, Mike. Everything okay? You didn't have to stop talking on my account."

Michael motioned for him to enter the room, and Sam stepped up to where Michael sat on the couch. With hands on hips, he waited for his friend to speak. Michael ran a hand through his hair. "I was talking to Raines, just checking in. We're getting closer to finishing this up, and the agency managed to do it without me."

"How about that," Sam said with a smirk. "Did you try to convince him that he didn't really need you?"

Michael laughed, a weak sound full of regret. "I tried, believe me. Raines is quite adamant about me returning. I tried to wring out another week from him, but... no go." He drooped, running his hand through his hair, letting it rest on the back of his neck. "Sam, Fiona knows I love her, and I want to marry her. I just don't think it's fair to or marry her now, with things still unsettled."

"Mike, I think you're being an idiot."

Michael's head came up and he stared at Sam. "Why? I don't want to leave her waiting for me, and if something happens..."

"Bull," Sam exclaimed, interrupting him. He pushed the chair to position it across from Michael and sat. "Whether or not you marry her, Fi is going to be waiting for you. If you marry her, she'll have something to hang onto while you're gone, a security that she doesn't have right now. Hell, we're all dealing with trying to get our sea legs back and readjust to what most people call a normal life. Having that ring on her finger will go a long way towards helping her settle down."

"But if something happens to me..."

"Whether you're married or not won't make any difference. You'll still be dead but at least then you won't have to worry about Fi. She'll get your pension and the benefits of being your wife. As a single woman, she won't have that." He shook his head. "I don't know why we're even talking like this. You're coming back, Mike, and if Jesse and I have to accompany you, we will."

"No, Sam. You're getting married. Elsa needs you, and you deserve a real life."

"So do you, Mikey." Sam's voice was full of anxiety for his friend. "Do this right, brother. Marry the woman and then go back and do your job."

"Sam, we don't have a license."

He gave Michael a quirky smile. "I know a guy who knows a guy, and we're not getting married for two days yet, so there's plenty of time to get that license."

His eyes wide with surprise, Michael asked, "You can do that?"

"Did you ask Fi to marry you?" Sam countered.

"Yes, I did and she said yes, of course."

"Yeah, well I heard from Elsa that it was't exactly a smooth move," Sam said and smirked.

"Don't worry," Michael replied. "Fi and I talked about it on our way to the beach, and I did it right. While we were out today, I bought her a ring."

"When... ohhh, yeah, when you left Jesse and me at lunch and you said you had to do something really quick." Sam chuckled. "You sneaky sonofa... well, good. I'm glad that part's taken care of." Sam slapped his hands on his knees and stood. "Come on, let's go grab a beer and celebrate your engagement. And then tomorrow I'll see if we can make this a double wedding, okay?"

"You don't mind sharing your day?"

Sam barked out a laugh. "I think Elsa would leave me on the beach if I didn't do whatever I could to make this happen. She likes Fi, and she wants to see her happy." He smiled. "So do I. She's the sister I never had."

Michael fell into step with Sam in the hall going to the stairs. "We really are like a family, aren't we?"

"That we are, brother. Now, I could never say my family was the stereotypical normal growing up, and I know yours sure wasn't, but if this is what a normal family is like, I'm honored to be part of it."

"Me too, Sam." Michael let out a breath. "Promise me you'll keep an eye on Fi while I'm gone?"

"You can bet I will. Your mom will take good care of her, too."

They rejoined everyone on the deck, and Michael took Fiona into his arms and said, "Fi, I know I already asked, but if you're agreeable to it, Sam and Elsa want us to share their wedding day. And if Sam can work some magic, we'll be getting married on Saturday."

"Michael," Fiona choked out as her eyes misted and her arms pressed him to her quivering body. "Yes! Let's do it!"

Amid the cheering, Maddie exclaimed, "It's about time!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Of all the missions Michael and his team had been a part of, a double wedding had to be the easiest they'd ever completed. Thanks to Sam's friend of a friend, the license was secured and legal in time for the wedding day. The wedding party was small and the same people were the guests, with the exception of Maddie and Jesse, so it would be a simple affair just like Elsa wanted. Michael and Sam stood on the beach with Jesse and the minister, waiting for the women to arrive. They drew a few curious stares, but after awhile people ignored them.

Michael glanced at his watch. "It's time. Where are they?"

Sam chuckled. "Getting nervous, Mike?"

"No." He answered too quickly, causing Sam to laugh.

"Guess he forgot what he learned in Interrogation 101," Jesse joked. "Don't be too quick with your answers when trying to deceive."

He glared at both of them and turned toward the ocean. A calm breeze blew over the water at an angle from the southeast. Behind him in the west, a bank of clouds drifted eastward with a threat of rain. Of all the things they could plan and strategize, weather was one of those things that would not be tamed. He hoped that the ceremony was finished before the group was hit with a deluge – or a lightning bolt.

"Maybe we should do this inside," Michael said. "Those clouds..."

"Are plenty far away," Sam interrupted. "It's okay, they're coming."

Michael, with his hands stuffed into his pants pockets, turned to see where Sam inclined his head. Michael's mother walked ahead of the two women, grinning so wide, he thought for sure she would break her face with the gesture. He couldn't get a good look at either Elsa or Fiona with her in the way, but as she descended the slight decline to the place where the four men stood, he caught sight of Fiona's hair blazing like a fire in the last of the sunshine. He had no idea what Elsa looked like, because he was too riveted on Fiona.

She wore her hair in an intricate updo with tendrils hanging down like sun catchers sparkling in the light. A crown of white flowers held everything in place. Her shoulders were bare, and her dress clung to her curves in an enticing manner, almost too enticing. The hem ended below the knee and her legs and feet were bare. Her smile gleamed. The peach roses she carried and the off white dress accentuated her glow. She stopped at his left side and he tucked her right hand into the crook of his elbow, and he whispered into her ear, "You look stunning, Fi."

"And you look dashing," she whispered in return.

He didn't think it was possible for her to smile wider, but she did as she held onto his arm and locked onto his eyes with love in hers.

Ever since he arrived home, Sam resolved to never take Elsa for granted again. Each day they awoke, he told her how beautiful she was and how much he loved her. Today, when she joined him at his side, he couldn't speak. She looked into his eyes, expecting him to say something, but all he could do was stand there, his eyes wet, and hang onto the hand she placed on his arm.

"Well, let's get started, shall we," the minister said with a smile. "First, I'd like to say what a treat this is. I don't get to marry more than one couple at a time very often, and you all look so happy to be here today. I love seeing that." He opened his bible and read from it before continuing to speak. "Mrs. Westen, would you please take the brides' bouquets?"

"Of course." Maddie took the brides' matching bouquets.

"I'd like the couples to face each other and repeat after me."

The minister doled out the words, and the brides followed along with their grooms. When he finished, the rings slipped onto fingers, and with a lightness in his voice, he said, "I now declare you man and wife." He nodded to Michael and Fiona, then to Sam and Elsa. "And man and wife. Kiss your brides, fellas."

With joyful laughter, Michael took Fiona into his arms and kissed her, and Sam did the same with Elsa. The others watched, wondering who would come up for air first. Michael and Fiona parted, gasping and grinning, and Sam and Elsa joined them a few moments later. With little fanfare, the couples walked to the hotel and went to the penthouse for a private party. As they walked through the lobby, Jesse noticed a face he recognized and turned.

"I'll be up in a minute," he said and crossed the lobby.

She wasn't looking at him, and at first, he wondered if she was on a stakeout or a recon. Detective Michelle Olglesby sat in a chair with a magazine in her hands, but her eyes moved around the lobby watching everything and everyone. Her eyes locked on the boisterous wedding party, and she eyed them with interest.

Jesse cleared his throat. She glanced up at him, questioning him with her eyes. He smiled and said, "Hi, I'm Jesse Porter. Remember, the guy who tried to get into your place the other day?"

"Oh yeah, I remember you." The detective smiled, and she took in Jesse's silk suit with appreciation. "Are you staying here temporarily?"

"No, I'm just here for a wedding reception."

"Really. I was supposed to meet my date here for a reception in the hall." She looked at her watch, frowned, and shook her head. "Looks like I'm getting stood up again."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Nice woman like you." He feasted his eyes on her, and despite the fact that she took over his apartment, he thought she was more than nice.

"Yeah. Well, some guys think I'm a little intimidating." She shook her head. "I don't know why they bother to ask me out if they have no intention of showing."

Jesse jingled the keys in his pocket. "Well, if your date's not gonna show, how about... nah, you're here for a wedding."

"It's nobody I know, just a friend of his, which makes this whole thing even more embarrassing," Detective Oglesby said and tuned away to watch a group of people enter in tuxes and bridesmaids dresses. The bride and groom followed. "Yep, the party's here, and my date isn't." She let out a deep breath and stood, hauling the gold chain strap of her purse over her shoulder. "I'm out of here. I think I'll go to the Purple Parrot and drown my sorrows. Nice seeing you again, Jesse." She gave him a smile and took a step, but he stopped her with a hand on her arm.

"Hey, maybe I can meet you there in, oh, an hour or so?" He gave her a sheepish smile. "I should at least have dinner with the wedding party, you know? Then I can bow out and meet you."

"I don't know," she said. "Maybe some other time."

"Sure." He pulled out his wallet, found one of his old business cards, and wrote his cell number on the back. "The only thing on the front of this card that's correct right now is my name, but I'm working on that." He grinned. "Give me a call the next time some doofus stands you up. Or, even if you just wanna go out."

Her smile widened, showing off perfect white teeth. "I like you, Jesse." She pulled out a card of her own and gave it to him. "Give me a ring anytime. For any reason."

"Thanks. I'll definitely take you up on that, Michelle."

She raised her hand as she walked away, looking at him over her shoulder, waving to him with a slow movement. Either that or she was walking away in slow motion. Jesse's heart skipped a beat, bringing him back to the ground. He'd never fallen in love at first sight, and he wasn't about to because he was too practical for that. Spies didn't do that sort of thing. It was too dangerous. He watched Michelle walk out the front door and talk to the valet, who hailed a cab for her. Maybe he should give her a ride. But he had friends waiting upstairs for him. He let out a sound of disgust at himself. How could he forget about them? Shaking his head at his foolishness, Jesse hurried to the bank of elevators and took one to the penthouse.

"Hey Jesse, we thought you got lost," Michael teased as Jesse entered the penthouse suite. Everyone sat around the dining room table, one place left for him.

"Sorry about that. I ran into someone I know," he explained and sat next to Maddie.

"You want something to drink, Jess?" Sam asked and motioned for the man standing near the bar to come forward.

"A beer would be great, thanks." He decided he would have one with dinner, and afterwards, he would take a detour to the Purple Parrot, just in case Michelle decided to go there after all.

"So, who did you run into," Fiona asked. "Someone we know?"

"She, uh..."

Sam interrupted. "Oh, it was a 'she'. That explains everything."

Laughter echoed around the table, and Jesse smiled at their ribbing. It was the first time in a long time that there had been any kind of joking and mirth among the team. The past six months or so had been nothing but tension and unease. It was good to laugh again, even if it was at his expense.

He held up a hand to halt any more jokes. "Her name is Michelle, Michelle Oglesby. She lives in my apartment now."

"Ah, that woman," Sam responded with a nod. "She's not planning on trying to take over the hotel now, is she?"

Jesse laughed. "No. She had a date for a wedding reception downstairs, but she got stood up."

"You should have brought her up here, Jesse," Elsa suggested. "The more the merrier."

"Thanks, but I didn't want to impose." He took a sip of his beer and dug into his meal.

"It would have been no trouble at all," she said, then shrugged. "Is she cute?" She watched him as his cheeks flushed, and she grinned. "I hope you at least got her number."

"Yeah, I got her number and gave her mine."

"Better hang onto that burner phone for awhile then," Michael quipped, starting a new wave of laughter around the table.

As the meal progressed, they found other things to talk about. Maddie mentioned that on Sunday she could move back into her house. "I'm really grateful for your hospitality, Elsa, but I'm eager to get home."

"I can understand that, Madeline. Just know that you don't have to be a stranger. You can come visit us anytime, and maybe we'll have to get together for barbecues or something," Elsa said with genuine affection in her voice. "You know, Sam told me how you took care of him when he was shot, and I'll be forever grateful for what you did. You're like family now."

Maddie bowed her head to avoid showing off the blush on her cheeks. "Thank you. You're too kind."

"I know what it's like to have only your son around as family," Elsa said with all seriousness.

"Okay, so we're all family now. When does the sniping at each other begin," Sam asked in a teasing manner.

"I think we save that for Thanksgiving," Jesse replied.

"You know, I think you're right," Sam agreed. "That's only a couple months away. I can hardly wait! Who's having dinner at their house?"

"Considering that other than you and Elsa, I'm the only one with a house right now, I'll volunteer," Maddie said in all seriousness. "Everybody brings something, and it'll be great. Jesse can bring his girlfriend." She grinned and patted the hand that rested beside his beer glass.

By the end of the dinner, Jesse was full, still sober, and almost reluctant to leave. But he hoped that maybe he could catch Michelle at the Purple Parrot, so he called it a night. "Thank you all for everything. Congrats to you Mike and Fi, Sam and Elsa. And I'll keep in touch. I promise."

"After Elsa and I get back, we'll talk about starting up the business. Remember," Sam asked Jesse.

"How could I forget. Night, everybody!" Jesse walked out the door, and his absence was felt like a cold breeze wrapping around them.

"Mike, Fi, are you going back to our house tonight," Sam asked.

"We were planning on it, unless you had something else in mind," Michael replied. "I have to leave for Washington tomorrow afternoon, so Fi and I don't have a lot of time." He held her hand in his, the look on his face the most sorrowful thing the team had seen in a long time.

"Besides, all of our things are there," Fiona added.

"Okay. Maddie, you're going home tomorrow, but what about tonight?"

"I was thinking I was going back to the mansion," she answered.

"That's fine," Elsa said. "We just thought maybe you might like to stay here tonight, or Michael and Fiona. Sam and I are going to the boat tonight, and in the morning we're heading out when the crew arrives."

"So we'll be saying goodbye tonight," Fiona declared in a monotone. The reality of the fact that they were splitting up, if only temporarily, hit her full force. She put on a cheerful smile. "We'll get together when you return and have a little house re-warming party at Madeline's."

"That sounds like a great idea," Sam said with forced cheer. He was beginning to feel like a door was closing, cutting them off from each other. "We'll be back in a week, next Saturday, right, honey?"

"That's right." Elsa smiled.

"Great." Maddie grinned, one of those false, toothy expressions she used when she wasn't feeling especially happy. She tried to console herself with the fact that she was going back to everything that was familiar to her, and Fiona was coming along to stay until she found a place for her and Michael to live, so she wouldn't be completely alone. Even if she were, she'd done it before. Only this time she knew what she would be missing.

"Sam," Fiona spoke in a soft voice and stared across the length of the table at him.

"Yes?"

The words tumbled out of Fiona's mouth. "I've been thinking... it all depends upon whether Oleg will rent the loft to us again, but if he does, I'd like to fix it up. That way, when Michael comes home, we can try to pick up and start over there, some place familiar." She paused to collect a breath. "Would you be able to help?"

He turned his head to glance at Elsa, who nodded and squeezed his hand. "You bet, Fi. Just let me know when, and I'll be there."

"Thanks, Sam. We appreciate that." Michael's voice sounded thick as he tried to banish the emotions that threatened to turn him into a tearful mess. That wasn't his style, and he didn't want to start now. He pushed his chair back and stood. "We should probably get going, Fi."

"That's right," Sam agreed with a little too much enthusiasm to mask his real emotions. "You guys'll want to have as much time together as newlyweds as you can get, I'm sure." Elsa jabbed him in the ribs. "Ow."

Everyone stood and turned into a mass of hugs and kisses, dragging their feet to avoid the inevitable parting. Finally, Michael and Fiona left the penthouse with Maddie, and Sam and Elsa stood at the door waving goodbye until the elevator doors closed on their friends. In unison the two sighed, releasing the tension of the emptiness. Sam let her inside and he closed the door.

"So, it's just the two of us now."

"It is." She turned to him with a mix of relief and sadness on her face. Her hands wrapped around his neck to his shoulders. "I know this is going to be hard for you. Tell me what I can do to make it easier."

"There's nothing. Only time away can soften the blow." He embraced her and enjoyed the warmth of her body against his. "I feel like somebody died, but they're all okay. They're all accessible, except for Mike. Hopefully soon that will change and he'll come home."

"Let's get out of here. The staff can clean up, and we'll stay on the boat tonight. Get our sea legs."

"Don't need sea legs for what we'll be doing," Sam teased and nibbled her ear.

Elsa laughed. "Keep that tiger caged, darling, until we get to the boat. I have some special champagne waiting and we can fire up the jacuzzi on board. It'll be fabulous."

"I can hardly wait, baby. Let's go."

Elsa had a limo waiting for them in the valet parking area, gathering attention from the patrons going in and out of the hotel. Sam glanced at the driver. If he hadn't done a double take, he would have thought it was Nate. He shook his head and berated himself for his overactive imagination. But imagination was good sometimes, like when he and Elsa turned into a mass of twining limbs and lips in the back of the limo on the way to the marina, and he found new ways to excite her. There wasn't enough time to get fully involved, just enough to leave her heart racing, breath chugging like a freight train, and wanting more.

As soon as the car stopped and the driver opened the door, Elsa shot out of the vehicle, her shoes dangling from the fingers of one hand, and the other pulling Sam out to trot with her to the end of the pier where the catamaran waited. She stumbled and almost fell into the water, but Sam had a good hold on her and kept her from going in. Her laughter floated on the soft breeze, and Sam, still in a playful mood, picked her up and carried her the rest of the way.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Maddie was restless and wound up pacing around the pool outside long after the lights had gone out in Michael and Fiona's room. All she could think about was that Michael was leaving again and God only knew how long he would be gone. He had a wife to consider now, not just the feelings of his mother, not that he ever gave those a thought. Whenever she tried sketching out the details, the future remained elusive and misty. She tried picturing Michael in a cute bungalow with a picket fence, but he looked unhappy, if he was even there at all. The reality of it was that he would never live in a place like that. She couldn't see them in a high rise condo either. She finally gave up on the exercise, because ultimately it wasn't up to her. Fiona and Michael would choose where to live. And Fiona wanted to go back to the loft, despite the fact that it was high profile and sure to be a target for any enemies who wanted to find them.

She heard voices downstairs and threw the last of her things into her suitcase before hauling it to the foyer. Michael, Fiona, and Jesse were assembled in the kitchen.

"Yeah, I'm going to look for another apartment near my old one. I liked that neighborhood."

"You like Detective Oglesby," Fiona teased with an impish smile on her face.

Jesse shrugged. "Maybe, yeah. She was nice."

"She didn't blow your head off when you tried to get into her apartment. That's a positive sign," Michael quipped and dipped a spoon into his yogurt.

Jesse laughed. "Exactly, so I'm thinking maybe there's some hope for us. Anyway, I'll get the apartment set up, and when Sam and Elsa are back we're going to start our own agency. It should be fun helping the little guy again."

"Hi, Ma," Michael said when he saw her enter the kitchen and join them. He studied her face and noticed the dark circles under her eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Oh sure, I'm fine," Maddie responded as she slipped past him to grab a cup and the coffee pot. "I'm about to lose my son again. No problem, happens all the time."

"Ma," Michael moaned, but not in a tone of exasperation that he might have used in the past. He set his yogurt on the counter and took her cup, placing it next to his yogurt container, and he drew her into his arms. She held on tight and he didn't say a word, just hung on, one hand moving over her back in soothing motions. After awhile, he said, "I promise, it won't be long this time. We're almost done."

"How do you know they won't try to keep you," she asked.

He pulled away far enough to be able to look down at her. With a stern expression, he said, "I won't let them."

"Like you have that kind of power," Maddie scoffed.

When Michael looked at her that way, Maddie knew better. It was an expression that said he would move mountains if necessary to get his way. "Don't worry. When we're done, I'm through with the agency."

Maddie nodded and returned to her coffee. Michael finished his yogurt, and soon it was time for him to leave. A car horn sounded outside and Fiona frowned. "That's your ride." She blinked and sniffled, and she kissed him one more time. "Good-bye, Michael. I love you."

"I love you too, Ma." He hugged her and moved to Fiona. "I'll be back as soon as I can." He wrapped her in his arms, memorizing the sensation of her skin against his, and with one last kiss, he moved away.

Michael's steps echoed as he moved toward the front door. He picked up his suitcase, stared at Fiona standing in the kitchen doorway, and with a slow nod he opened the door and left the house. Michael almost tripped down the steps because he looked back, eyes focused on the three people standing in the doorway seeing him off. He waved to Fiona, his mother, and Jesse, and then got into the sedan that came to deliver him to a private plane that would fly him back to Washington D.C. Fiona forced herself to stay rooted to the spot, or she would have run to vehicle, hauled Michael out of the seat, and held him hostage. Not that he would have minded. She hated the CIA more than ever for forcing him into this position. She could only pray that it ended soon.

The sedan disappeared down the road, and eventually, Fiona could breathe again.

Jesse waited until Michael was out of sight before sighing loudly. "I guess I better go find myself a new place to live and start over." He turned and gave Maddie an affectionate hug. "You take care, Maddie. You need anything, you just let me or Sam know."

"I can take care of myself pretty well, but I'll call you sometime anyway," she said with a smile and kissed his cheek. She patted it as she broke from his embrace. "You be careful out there."

"I will." He grinned. He gave Fiona a goodbye hug and kiss, keeping it on a sisterly level. He remembered the time she kissed him in the car and left his nerve endings burning. He'd hoped that maybe he could take a chance on more, but he was resigned to the fact that it would never be, especially now that Fi and Mike were married.

Maddie touched Fiona's arm and spoke after Jesse pulled away in his car. "Let's get some lunch, honey, and then we'll go home. We'll have a lot to do. Just the grocery shopping alone will be a massive effort. We have to replace all the food in the house."

"I'm not really hungry, Madeline."

Maddie crossed her arms and stared at Fiona. "I know you don't feel like eating, but have a little something. You're not going to let yourself waste away so that Michael comes home to find you've either starved yourself to death or you're nothing but skin and bones."

"You're right."

The housekeeper came into the foyer, her sunny smile the only light in the gloominess that hung over the room. "You are leaving now, Senoras?"

"Yes. Thank you for your service," Maddie said. "We really enjoyed staying here."

"Oh, it is my pleasure."

Fiona and Maddie picked up their suitcases and left the house. The door latch clicked, leaving their hearts a little empty while the sun beat down on them, blinding bright. Maddie moved to the Charger's trunk. Fiona opened it, put the luggage inside, and went to the driver's seat. While Michael was gone, she would drive it. On Maddie's urging, they stopped at a fast food place on the way home to pick up a bite to eat.

Maddie was a little afraid to walk into the house. The last time she was there, it looked like a nightmare come to life. She unlocked the back door and peered around it, scoping the laundry room. It was spotless. She opened the door wider and looked into the kitchen. She blinked and sucked in a breath.

"What is it," Fiona asked, right behind her with the bags. She dropped them in the laundry area and stepped into the kitchen to survey it with Maddie.

The fridge from the 70s was gone, and in its place stood a new white side by side refrigerator/freezer. Across from it, the stove was the same color and had a glass top. The counters and sink had been updated, and the cabinets stripped and repainted. In all the years she lived there, the interior of her house never looked so good.

"I think those government people did more than just clean up the mess and get rid of the roaches," Fiona commented. "This must have been Michael's doing."

"I don't know who did it, but I love it." Maddie breathed as she skimmed her hand over the granite counter top.

Fiona moved into the dining room and living area, noting that everything appeared to be the same, except the walls and ceiling sported fresh paint. The spare bedroom hadn't changed either. "Everything is so clean. Not that you were a bad housekeeper, Madeline, but..."

Maddie flapped a hand. "Oh, I know what you mean, honey. They really scrubbed down everything. I might have to start smoking outside to avoid ruining it." Her lips twisted into a smile. "Good thing I live in Florida." When Fiona didn't react to her joke, she sighed, put her hands on her hips, and reached for a pad of paper. "I guess we should start with making a grocery list and go to the store."

Fiona returned to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. It was empty, as was the freezer. "We've got a lot of space to fill. I suppose we should get busy."

It took less than a day for Maddie and Fiona to settle into the house. Some of the neighbors stopped in when they discovered that the women were home. Even Ms. Reynolds came to visit, but when she discovered that Sam had married, she found a graceful way to depart and went back to working on her car. After a few days of doing nothing but hang out, Fiona was getting bored. She decided to go to the loft. It was time for her to start rebuilding.

The Charger rumbled low as she pulled up to the curb. Fiona would have parked in the courtyard, but it was full of construction equipment and supplies. She found the club's front door open, so she wandered inside and caught the attention of the foreman. He had to yell to be heard over the banging and chiseling noises.

"Hey lady, you can't come in here without a hard hat on," he barked at her even as his eyes roamed her body from head to toe.

Fiona made sure he could see her wedding band when she struck a pose and answered, "I'm just trying to find Oleg. Is he around?"

"Yeah. He's in the back there." The foreman handed her a hardhat. "Put this on. Don't want that pretty head of yours to get bonked."

Fiona snorted as she stuck the ill-fitting hat on her head. Without another word to him, she headed for what used to be Oleg's office, and from the looks of things, it still was. As she passed through the club, fine dust rained down from the concrete ceiling. The dance floor was cordoned off with yellow tape, so she walked around it and approached the office. Towards the back, the construction noises weren't so bad. She knocked on the doorframe.

"Come in, come in," Oleg said as he finished up a conversation in Russian on the phone. When he replaced the receiver, he examined Fiona. "Who are you?" She removed the hat, and he registered his recognition with an appreciative smile. "Ah, Fiona, Michael Westen's girlfriend."

"Wife now," she said and held out the hand with the sparkling hardware circling her finger.

Oleg glanced at it briefly and asked, "Where is Michael?"

"In DC for awhile. When he comes home, I'd like to have the loft all ready for him to..."

He chuckled, the sound ominous and cold and said, "You expect me to allow him to rent from me again after he was responsible for this?" His hand pointed to the destruction outside the office.

"He had no choice," Fiona protested. "Once he's out of the CIA, there will be no reason to torch the place again. I assure you of that." Her eyes bored into him, anger welling up inside her. "You have to admit that until that incident, Michael took good care of the loft."

"Yes, but now look. I am out of business until the renovations. I lose money."

"But think how much more attractive this place will be. Your club will be even more popular after the remodel, and you'll make your money back in no time." She smiled at him, knowing she was right. "Six months and you won't even miss the money you lost."

"Ah, but you see, I have decided to make silk purse out of sow's ear. I gut entire building, take out ceiling, and create two story club. It will be beautiful." Oleg smiled.

Fiona looked perplexed. "I don't understand."

"Come here, you see." He pointed to a stack of blueprints on his desk. He flipped through them until he found the artist renderings. "Here. You see lower level of club, we update it. Big staircase here, going up to second level. The workmen are taking out part of the loft floor to make the open level." He grinned. "It will be fantastic."

"Are you sure this is what you want to do?"

"Da."

The foreman appeared in the office door. "You two need to get out of here for about a half hour or so. My men are about ready to blow the floor from above, and when they do, concrete will rain down and it won't be safe."

"What are you using to blow the floor," Fiona asked. She couldn't help herself.

"Don't worry, it's perfectly safe. We've done this before."

"But I..."

"Fiona," Oleg said, "Perhaps you should leave." He knew she was interested in having her question answered, but he had no time for her and neither did his foreman. "I wish you and Westen good luck in your marriage."

"Thank you," Fiona replied with a muted tone. She spun on her heel and hurried out of the building, tossing the hard hat onto the large table near the door that was littered with blueprints and used coffee cups. With each step, she sensed indignation rising in her. How could Oleg destroy their home like this? But it was never theirs. It was Oleg's and he had every right to do what he wanted with it.

Out of curiosity, she stuck around until she heard a muffled boom. Dust flew out of the window openings that no longer had glass or frames in them. A rumble of broken concrete hitting the lower level followed, and a large dust cloud came out of the club entrance. She fought the urge to run up the outside stairs to see what they'd done to the loft, but it would only increase her depression. It was time to come up with another plan.

In desperation, Fiona drove back to Maddie's house. She took a long, roundabout route, not even sure why she cruised the streets of Coconut Grove. In a residential area near a park, she found the answer to her prayers. As her eyes lit on the two story stucco house, she slowed and read the sign in the front yard. It announced that the house was a foreclosure and it was going up for auction the very next day at nine in the morning. Fiona pulled into the driveway and parked, and she got out to take a better look.

It was an art deco styled home with large oaks in the back yard to shade it from the sun in the late afternoon. The stucco walls were painted a garish, bright green, but that could easily be fixed. She walked around the house and inspected the foundation. It looked sound. For a house its age, it had very few cracks, and minor ones at that. As she came around front, another car pulled up and parked at the curb, and a middle aged woman got out smiling at Fiona.

"Hi there," she drawled and met Fiona with an outstretched hand and an easy smile. "My name's Lula, and I'm with the county clerk's office. I just stopped by to make sure everything was ready for tomorrow's sale, and imagine my surprise to find someone looking at the house. Were you interested in bidding?"

"I don't know." Fiona stuck her hands into her back pockets as she squinted at the exterior. "Will there be a walk-through before the auction?"

"No, I'm afraid not. It's buy as-is." She sized up Fiona, noting something in her expression that spoke to her softer side. "I won't tell if you don't say a word. Would you like to go inside?" She held up the key. "I need to do a final inspection inside, and you're welcome to come with me."

"Really?" Fiona grinned. "My husband and I just got married, and he had to go back to Washington DC for awhile. In the meantime, I'm looking for something we can live in and work on to fix up for ourselves."

"Well, you couldn't have found a better house," Lula exclaimed. "Come on, I'll show you. This place has a load of charm." She unlocked the door and let Fiona inside before going in herself.

The entrance was centered on the front of the house, and directly across from it was a staircase leading upstairs. To the left was a large living room, and to the right was a dining room and kitchen. The front wall in the dining room curved into the north facing long wall, and instead of a window, glass blocks served to let the light in. All the floors were polished wood, although they were severely scuffed. The carpeting on the stairs needed to be replaced or removed entirely. The light fixture hanging from the dining room ceiling hung at a cocked angle, the wires stripped, the chain keeping it from crashing to the floor. The kitchen floor was old linoleum tile that buckled and curled up in places. The cabinets looked as if they'd been built by a four year old, and the refrigerator and stove looked older than Maddie's relics. A door led to the laundry room and out to the back yard. It wasn't a very big yard, and the grass was missing in a lot of places, but she saw the potential. Along the back property line, three rose bushes exploded in pinks and reds.

"You wanna see upstairs, you go right ahead, Mrs..."

"Westen. Fiona Westen." It felt good to say that. With a smile on her face and in her eyes, she moved through the living room, past a dirty fireplace, and around to the stairs.

Her hand slid over the smooth curving bannister and she trotted upstairs, eager to see what she would find. The second floor held three bedrooms and a bathroom. She gasped with delight when she saw a claw foot tub inside the bathroom, shocked that it was a bright, fire engine red.

Lula came up behind her and chuckled. "Oh yes, that tub is a sight, ain't it? Who in their right mind would put in a red tub?" She shook her head. "Just so you know, it's not original to the house. The last owners put it in."

Fiona nodded. Despite its shocking color, she kind of liked it as she pictured the decorating potential and smiled. She moved on to each bedroom and was pleased that the master suite had the curving corner in it.

"I like it. What's the starting bid?"

"I believe it's fifteen thousand," Lula replied. "It needs a lot of work. The electrical isn't up to code, and the plumbing needs replacing. The previous owners had a pipe burst in the kitchen. That's why the tiles are in such terrible shape."

"You really know a lot about this house," Fiona said as she turned to face Lula. "That's unusual, isn't it?"

"Well, not really. This was my grandparents' house, and a cousin, one I don't have much to do with because she's, well, odd... I mean, that bathtub... do you need any more proof?" She flapped a hand. "Anyway, she and her husband skipped out on the loan they took out to buy it, and now it's being sold by auction. No one else in the family wanted it." She sighed a deep sorrowful exhalation. "It's just too much work."

Fiona couldn't wait to leave and prepare for the next day. "Thank you for your time, Lula. I'll be back tomorrow at nine to bid."

Lula's face brightened. "I hope you win, Mrs. Westen. You look like a sweet woman who appreciates the charm of this house."

"I do, thank you." As she left the house, Fiona's eyes raked over the details and fine craftsmanship. Yes, the house would be a lot of work, but she knew Michael would like it. He could never live in a bungalow with a white picket fence. This house was artsy and funky, and a little unusual in the neighborhood full of traditional Craftsman style homes. She almost couldn't wait for tomorrow.

Sale of the house was by cash or cashier's check. Fiona wanted that house so badly, she went to the bank and took out a sizable chunk of cash, enough that the bank manager's curiosity was aroused. She explained to him that she was buying a foreclosed house, and he nodded in understanding. Walking out of the bank, she breathed a sigh of relief. All she would have needed was for the manager to get suspicious and give her the third degree, and it might have ruined her chances of getting the house. At supper she told Maddie about the house and couldn't sleep all night thinking about it.

"Fiona, do you mind if I go along to see this place," Maddie asked as Fiona struggled through a cup of coffee and a piece of toast. "I'll drive, honey. You look so tired."

"I couldn't sleep, Madeline. I want this house... almost as much as I wanted Michael to be my husband." A smile stretched her lips wide. "He's going to love it when he comes home and sees it. I just hope I can get it fixed up before he's back."

"You have to win the auction first."

"I know." She glanced at her watch. "We have a half hour to get there. Let's go! I don't want to be late."

"It's only, what, less than ten minutes from here?"

"Well, there might be a traffic jam between here and there, a lot of people coming to bid, and then I might miss it!" She looked ready to fly out of her seat.

Maddie chuckled behind her coffee cup. "Alright, let's go."

When Fiona and Maddie arrived, a few other cars stood at the curb across the street from the house. Lula wasn't there, but a man with a clipboard stood on the front steps. Fiona approached him. He wasn't even close to sunny as he spoke in a monotone. "Are you here to bid on the house?"

"Yes, I am," Fiona answered.

"Fine. Sign here." He held out the clipboard, and Fiona saw four other names on the list. As the appointed time grew near, her nerves jangled and she wished Michael was around to do the bidding for her. She couldn't mess this up. She needed this house!

The house sold for sixty five thousand dollars in two minutes. Fiona's entire body trembled, her hand still in the air, pleasure and fear running amok inside her as she realized that she was now the proud owner of a fixer-upper. She stumbled forward with Maddie guiding her, and she paid the man the money, filled out the paperwork with her shaky scrawl, and felt an intense satisfaction as he laid the deed in her palm.

"Congratulations, ma'am. And good luck getting it up to code to live in," the man said before taking the money from her, counting it, and walking away to his car.

Fiona looked up at the entrance. It appeared bigger than the day before, more imposing. Her thoughts burst out loud as she groaned, "What have I gotten myself into? Madeline, am I insane?"

"No, you're not insane, sweetheart. You've just taken a big step, owning your first house. Now it's up to you and Michael to make it a home." She smiled, settled an arm around the younger woman's shoulders, and steered her toward the Charger. "Let's go get you some lunch. I think that measly toast wasn't nearly enough, and with all the excitement, you're blood sugar has to be crashing."

"Is-is that why I'm shaking?"

"A little. Mostly, you're just excited." Maddie took the keys and got into the driver's seat.

"I'm scared, Madeline. More scared than I've been since we got back." She stared at the house as Maddie drove away, tears dimming her view. "I hope I haven't made the biggest mistake of my life."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

For two people and a crew of six, the Wave Dancer, Elsa's catamaran yacht, was huge. Correction, Sam and Elsa's catamaran yacht. While he carried Elsa up the steps to the mid-deck, the idea that this also was his now hadn't really sunk in yet. He was more concerned about getting below deck and taking a dip in the jacuzzi. The sun sank in the west and a mantle of darkness surrounded the craft, and although the hot tub was open to the air, the roof overhang kept it secluded enough for privacy on a night like this. Until the sailing crew assembled in the morning, they were alone. Even Benjamin, the butler, was gone after setting things up for their arrival.

Sam let Elsa's feet touch the deck, and she wrapped her arms around him, found his lips with hers, and kissed him until they were both out of breath. "Let's get wet," she murmured, and he nodded. What else could he do when she'd captured him so well?

Only one thing stood in their way. Sam pulled out the key for the door, unlocked it, and stepped aside so Elsa could go first. He watched her behind sashay down the steps, his hunger for her intensifying. She stopped at the bottom and dropped her shoes onto an ottoman, along with her purse. Sam nearly collided with her, but he stopped himself by slipping an arm around her and pressing her body against his. He kissed the crook of her neck through her hair, and she moaned.

"Alright, you. Come on," she growled and worked her way to the front of the yacht as she reached for the zipper on the back of her dress.

"Hey, wait, let me do that," Sam protested with a laugh. He used his hands to urge hers to be still so he could grab the zipper pull and lower it over her back, past her waist and down to the end on the cusp of her buttocks.

He didn't expect her to whirl so fast. In the soft lights, he saw a predatory smile on her face, her eyes shrouded in shadows, but he knew what was there. With a growl of his own he attacked her lips and found his arms pinned. She slipped his suit jacket off his shoulders and from his arms like it was made of water. The shirt followed, and he pulled down her dress in between breaks from almost bruising each other's lips with the intensity of their kisses.

Elsa stood before him in a bra and panties, and she said, "No fair. You have more on than I do." Her hands found his belt, unfastened it, and had him down to his boxers in no time. "Now, that's more like it." She chuckled and took refuge in his arms. Bathing each other with kisses and light touches, one piece after another fell to the floor and they found themselves in the hot tub. Thanks to the butler, an ice bucket sat near the rim with a bottle of champagne chilling. Two glasses waited to be filled, and chocolate covered strawberries lay on a small china plate trimmed with gold. The water swirled and bubbled, and when the two lowered themselves into it, they sighed in pleasure.

"Oh, this is great," Sam said. "I can get used to this." He turned and reached for the bottle and a glass, and he poured one for Elsa. "Here you go, baby." He filled one for himself and turned to her.

Holding hers above the water, Elsa said, "To us, and many many years of bubbly fun in and out of the jacuzzi."

Sam laughed. "Hey, do I need to take that away from you right now?"

"I'm not drunk, Sam. I'm just happy." She sobered just a little. "Really, really happy. Thank you for bringing a spark back to my life that I was missing after Evan Sr. died."

He wasn't sure if it was good form to mention dead husbands on a wedding night, but Sam was willing to overlook it. It was, after all, a compliment. He clicked glasses with her and drank. It tickled going down, its dryness surprising. Then he raised his glass to her and said, "To you, Elsa, for making me the happiest guy on the planet. Or at least in Miami, tonight and every night from here on out." He winked. "We'll have to see how the days go, but I feel pretty confident based on past performance, it's going to be smooth sailing with you."

It was Elsa's turn to laugh. "We'll see about that tomorrow when we leave the dock."

"We've got a whole lot of night to set the stage, so we better get busy," Sam said. He downed his glass, she finished hers, and together they drained their passion and energy until well past midnight. Somehow, they wound up belowdecks in the master suite, tangled in the sheets and sleeping in until late morning.

Muffled voices topside woke Sam with a start. The deck creaked as feet walked above. He heard a humming, and he recognized it as the pumps clearing out fumes from the engine compartments just before they would come to life. Alarmed, he glanced at the clock. The crew was slated to be there at ten, and it was almost ten thirty. He fought his way out from under the covers as he tried to keep from waking Elsa. He stood and turned to watch her in the light shining through the portholes. She looked so beautiful even in her dishevelment. Unable to resist, he came around the bed, swept the hair from her temple, and kissed it. She stirred and moaned, but she didn't awaken.

Sam ducked into the shower to clean up and emerged as the engines started. He hoped that whoever had control of the boat was an official crew member, because he wasn't prepared to take on any hijackers or pirates right now. He'd never heard of any stealing a yacht right out of the harbor, but there was a first time for everything. He threw on some clothes, opting for light tan shorts and a yellow and orange Hawaiian shirt with fronds and red parrots on it. He padded up the stairs and hand combed his hair on the way.

"Good morning, Mr. Axe," Benjamin greeted him with a cheerful smile. For the cruise, he changed from his usual land attire to a more spritely ensemble of white pants and a crisp white shirt.

"Morning, Benny," Sam greeted in his usual way. Elsa always called him Benjamin, but Sam shortened his name. Benny always gave him an appreciative smile for his efforts.

"Is Mrs. Axe still sleeping," Benny asked.

Nodding, Sam replied, "Just let her. We, um, had quite the night. I'm surprised I'm not wiped out yet myself." He chuckled. "If she doesn't wake up before we get there, that's okay. We've got all day."

"Indeed, Sir. Would you care for some breakfast? The chef will prepare whatever you like."

"How about an omelet? Loaded with veggies." He leaned closer and added in a softer voice. "And tell Rico to hide some cheese in there, will ya?"

"I will, Mr. Axe." Benny tried to hide a smile, but it was no use. He turned toward the stairs leading to the galley.

Sam moved toward the back of the catamaran and sat in a comfortable overstuffed chair underneath an overhang. He heard the captain and first mate's voices drifting down from above and he realized that he had nothing to worry about. He and Elsa had taken trips on the yacht before, and he knew the crew and their voices. Nothing was amiss on the conning deck. Miami grew smaller as the craft's engines churned and propelled them out of the marina. Before they were completely free of it, the crew scurried around to prepare the sails to be unfurled. The captain gave orders, and the men followed them. The catamaran turned south before the sails rose. Sam could feel the boat jerk a little when the canvas caught the wind. The engines fell silent, and the boat was now powered by the wind.

He loved the sound, or rather lack of it, when the catamaran worked with the wind in the sails. No rumbling belowdecks that caused the entire craft to shudder slightly. No churning water behind them. Just the flap of taut sails, the splash of the double bows cutting through the water, raising and lowering as the yacht floated over the waves. Wonder if Elsa's ever considered doing a long trip on this thing. It would be fun for sure, the navy man inside him said.

But the responsible naval officer inside him reminded Sam that he had a friend back in Miami who was expecting him back in a week, and together they would start their new venture. While Sam was gone, Jesse would get himself settled and start looking into what they needed to do to open a legitimate detective/protection agency. Despite the luxury of this time away to do nothing, part of Sam would always long for having something to do. It wasn't in his nature to be lazy for too long. If a long career in the Navy hadn't taught him that, seven years running with Michael sure did.

If the winds were merciful, they would reach their destination in about an hour. Sam debated whether to go downstairs and wake Elsa so they could enjoy their first breakfast as a married couple together. She was a big fan of firsts, and she might be disappointed to miss it. Heaving himself out of the comfortable chair, Sam trotted down to the bedroom to use his charms to wake her.

"Shall I tell the chef to hold off on your meal, Mr. Axe," Benny asked as he met Sam on the way to the cabins.

"Mmmm, yeah," Sam replied with a smile. "You know how much work it takes to get Mrs. Axe up sometimes." He winked as he opened the door and disappeared inside.

The catamaran drifted to a stop and the anchor dropped into the crystal clear water before Sam and Elsa appeared and had brunch. She wore a royal blue one-piece suit that complimented Sam's shirt with decorations of fronds and hibiscus flowers. She wore a filmy skirt with it, showing off her legs underneath.

"So, where are we," Elsa asked. "You planned this trip, Sam. Wherever we are, it's gorgeous." She looked around, pushing a tendril of hair away from where it blew across her face.

He pulled out a chair for her to sit at the table that faced the stern and a panorama of aqua water dotted with gentle waves, a white sand beach to the right about fifty yards away, and some bushes and vegetation on the small island. The sky was a bright blue with white puffy clouds dotting it far off in the north.

"It's called Honeymoon Harbor. You like it?" He grinned and sat to her left.

"I love it." She squinted. "But it doesn't look like a harbor."

"Well, you're thinking more like a marina. This is just a big sand bar that people drop anchor near to swim and snorkel, and have a party. It's a Sunday, so I don't know how busy it'll be. We'll see. We can always stay a couple days if you want." He leaned across the space between them and pecked her on the cheek. "Or we can go on to the Bahamas. It's only another hour or so to the grand island."

"Let's take it one island at a time." She replied with a very satisfied smile. "I want to spend some time out there in the water. It looks so refreshing and peaceful."

"As long as the partiers don't come around. I've been here before when there have been stereo wars. It's crazy." He covered her hand with his. "But I'm hoping we won't have any of that today."

A few other boaters dropped anchor as the day progressed, but it remained quiet and peaceful in the harbor. After brunch, Sam and Elsa got off the catamaran and took a stroll through the hip-deep, warm water. Stingrays darted over the sandy bottom and followed them, causing Elsa more than a little anxiety.

"Why won't they leave us alone," she asked.

"They've gotten used to humans being around," Sam replied as he held her hand tighter. "They're not going to hurt you. Watch." He stopped, and she halted beside him, her knees shaking slightly.

She watched in awe as a stingray glided closer until it covered her feet with the tip of its flapping body. She was too scared to move, but Sam bent at the waist and with slow, careful movements reached to touch the fin. The ray stayed in place and seemed to actually move into the petting. Elsa began to relax when she saw the creature's tail remained flat and straight, not willing to attack.

"See? They're tame from all the exposure to people. Try it." She still couldn't shake her distrust, and he could see that. Looking up at her, he said, "You trust me, right?" She nodded. "Well then, if I say this guy is trustworthy, he is." He straightened and let out a small sigh. "That's okay. I understand."

The ray seemed to sense her wavering. It repositioned itself so the edge of its fin touched her ankle. She yelped and leaped back, startling the ray. It took off like a shot, ruining the chance of petting it. Elsa took a breath, not realizing that she'd been holding it.

"Maybe you'll get another chance with another one of those guys," Sam said.

"Maybe," she answered with a slight tremor.

He gave her an understanding, yet pitying, smile as he put his arm around her and they continued their walk. A 32 foot power boat was anchored nearby, populated by a couple with two kids. The blonde headed kids, who looked like perfect clones of their parents, splashed around in the water, chasing each other, giggling. Elsa and Sam moved around them, but beads of water kicked up and hit them anyway.

"Anton! Miranda! Stop getting people wet," the mother called from the bow where she lay catching some rays. To the couple, she said, "I'm sorry. They just get a little wild sometimes."

"Oh, they're just being kids," Elsa answered with a bittersweet smile. "They get so absorbed in having fun. Sometimes I think we adults could learn a thing or two from them."

The woman chuckled. "You're right. That's why we're here, to just get away from the insanity in Miami."

"Do you come here often," Elsa asked.

"Now and then during the summer. In the colder months, it's harder to navigate the streams through the ocean between Miami and here. Is that your catamaran?" She pointed to it with a jerk of her head. Elsa nodded. "Wow. I bet it's gotta be a challenge to sail that thing."

"I have a crew for that. We just enjoy the ride."

"I'm sorry, I should introduce myself. I'm Beth Rand. My husband Jake is around here somewhere. Probably puttering belowdeck." She chuckled.

"Elsa... Axe." She almost used the wrong last name. Blushing slightly, she squeezed Sam's hand. "This is my husband Sam. We just got married yesterday."

"Congratulations!"

A slim, well built man came up from the bowels of their pleasure craft and looked around. "Who you talking to, honey?"

"Our neighbors with the catamaran," Beth answered.

By the time Jake arrived at the bow, Sam and Elsa had approached the boat and were introduced to him. He gave them a friendly smile, and said, "Newlyweds, huh? In Honeymoon Harbor. Who'da thunk it?" He laughed. "Hey, why don't you guys come on board, and we'll have a drink?"

"You got beer," Sam asked.

"Of course." Jake answered with a grin.

"Alrighty, then."

As the couple visited with the Beth and Jake Rand, they learned that he was a former Ranger who now worked for the Miami PD on the SWAT team. He and Sam talked shop, while the women burned away the afternoon discussing kids and a myriad of other subjects that women talked about. The kids played in the water or on the beach until the sun began sinking in the west.

"Hey, you guys come on out of there. We need to get going to get to the island for dinner," Beth ordered them amid the groans and protests.

Elsa enjoyed their time so much, she didn't want it to end yet. She asked. "Where were you going? The big island?"

"Yes. We're parking at the marina and there's a restaurant nearby that Jake and I used to go to before the kids came along. You're welcome to join us if you'd like."

"Actually, I was thinking you might like to come on board our boat for dinner. I have a chef who can make anything from mac and cheese to beef polonaise. He can whip up something that even the kids'll like." She smiled.

"Well, we didn't intend to intrude on your honeymoon," Beth said with a hesitation in her voice.

"It's okay," Sam and Elsa chorused. Sam grinned and continued, "I'd like to talk to Jake a little more about this business a buddy of mine and I want to start. It might be helpful to get a law enforcement officer on our good side."

Elsa rolled her eyes and planted a hand on her hip. "Oh, Sam, you're always getting on me about talking business at dinner, and what are you going to do?"

"Yeah, well, this is important," he replied with a smirk, knowing how she'd take the statement.

It was something she often said to him, and having it thrown back at her with that impish look, she couldn't help but smile and laugh at him. "I deserved that," she said. Turning back to Beth with a sigh, she said, "Well, the invitation is out there. We'd really like to have you come over."

"Okay," Beth replied with a smile.

The Rands loaded up the kids on their boat and Jake navigated it over to the catamaran. He anchored alongside it, close enough to board but far enough to avoid the hulls colliding. He put a couple of bumpers between them just to be on the safe side.

"Should we dress up for this," Beth mused aloud.

"Oh heavens, no! We're on vacation," Elsa exclaimed, to Sam's surprise.

She almost always dressed for dinner unless they were having it in the penthouse or at home alone. And then they would be dressed in attire that may not have been suitable for company. Grateful for her getting into the spirit of this getaway, he relaxed and assisted Elsa and Beth while Jake hauled the kids over the side onto the catamaran's deck.

"Wow, this is such a cool boat!" Anton took off running for the stairs, followed by his sister.

"Kids! You haven't been invited belowdeck!" Beth bellowed after them. "Come back here, now!"

"Oh, let them explore. They'll have fun," Elsa said, and she called down the steps. "Go ahead, kids. Have a ball!" Giggles and screeches of delight floated up to the deck.

Beth shook her head, grinning. "You're something else, Elsa. I've known a few rich people who would have preferred we strap our kids to chairs and gag them until it was time to eat."

"Hey, I think I know those people," she joked. The women laughed. "I have a son who's in his twenties now, and I remember what it was like when he was that age. Although he didn't have the same childlike exuberance about exploring a yacht, since he'd been on them from very little." She let out a small sigh. "His father and I would sometimes cruise down to the Caribbean or to Mexico with him."

"That's a long trip by sail," Beth said with awe.

"It is." Elsa fell silent, thinking about those days.

"Think you and Sam will do that?"

Bless Beth for getting her mind off a man who was only a memory. Elsa smiled and replied, "I don't know. He might be quite busy with his new venture. I'm always busy with the hotel."

"You own a hotel? I should have known, with a yacht like this." Beth paused and squinted at her. "But I have to say, you sure don't act like a lot of those people who have way too much money and don't know what to do with it."

"Thank you. I appreciate that. Ever since I met Sam, I've come to realize how I isolated myself in that world, and I wasn't happy there." As she spoke, she watched Sam at the bar talking to Jack. He must have been telling him quite the story the way he waved his hands around and his face was animated with the telling. "He broke the barrier, and he rescued me. I'm so grateful for him."

"He is a nice guy. You two have been really blessed."

"We have been."

Later in the evening, after Beth and Jake and the kids returned to their boat and moored nearby for the night, Elsa and Sam found some alone time. Snuggled close beside him as his breath evened out and he fell asleep, she couldn't help the tears leaking from her eyes as she thought about how rich her life had become. Not with money, but with the love of a good man. She fell asleep dreaming of many wonderful years with him.

Sam awoke to the sound of feet pounding on the deck above and a muffled voice shouting. On alert, Sam threw on his clothes, tucked a gun in his waistband, and left the cabin. He hurried to the stairs and listened to men arguing. He pulled out the gun and took off the safety, just in case. Sam hurried up the stairs, keeping an alert stance as he hit the deck.

"Woah, Sam!" Jake threw up his arms in surrender.

"Mr. Axe, this man was trying to board us," the crew member said.

Sam gave the guy a look as he snapped on the safety and stowed his gun. "This is just Jake. Jeez, he and his family were here yesterday." Ignoring the crew member's apology, he moved forward when he saw the anxiety in the man's expression. "What's up, Jake?"

"The kids. Beth and I can't find them. We thought maybe they were on the beach or something this morning or in the water, but they're not around here."

"So you thought maybe they came aboard?"

"That's what I was hoping," Jake replied. "I'm sorry for the intrusion..."

"No problem." Sam turned to the crew member. "You, get the rest of the crew together and search for those kids."

"Thank you, Sam."

Sam turned back to Jake. "It's okay. I know how much fun they had yesterday running around the boat. Can't blame them if they came back for another round, eh?" He gave him a cocked grin. "I'm going to get Elsa up, and she can help."

After a half hour and nearly a dozen people searching, the kids were nowhere to be found on the catamaran. Jake hid his anxiety well, but Beth was bordering on frantic. He held her to his side, trying to calm her.

"Jake, where can they be? They've never done anything like this before. They always know that if they wake up before us, they stay on board!"

Elsa placed a soothing hand on her arm. "We'll find them. Maybe they made a raft or something and floated off toward the big island."

"That's crazy," Beth exclaimed, eyes wide. "But... but that sounds like something Anton would want to do." She shook her head and new tears filled her eyes. "It's dangerous. They could have drowned by now and we'd never know!"

"Elsa, you stay here with Beth," Sam spoke in a soft voice. "I have a plan." He beckoned Jake, and he disengaged himself from Beth to follow Sam to the aft. "We've got a couple waverunners on the back here. I say we go out on them and patrol around the sand bar, head toward the main island. If the kids took off that way, hopefully we'll find them."

"We've got a small dinghy under the aft deck on our boat," Jack said. "Maybe we can use that."

"The waverunners are more maneuverable."

"Yeah, you're right." Jake's eyes stared at the deck on his boat, and the color drained from his face. "Sam, I just had a thought."

"What is it?" He followed Jake's line of sight, and suddenly the man leaped over the side and onto his own boat. Sam followed and together they lifted the decking. "Crap, it's gone. How'd the kids get in here and take the boat?"

"It's a small boat, Sam. Two kids nine and ten years old could easily get this hatch open. It probably took some wrestling, but you don't know how determined Anton can be when he gets something in his head." Jake let the door drop and muttered a curse under his breath. "When we find those kids, they'll be grounded for a month. Two months! And no boating for the rest of the summer."

"Let's just worry about finding them first." Sam led the way back to the catamaran, and he and Jake took the aft stairs to the small craft tethered to the space between the stairs. A crew member lowered them into the water. Each man took one and started it.

"Be careful, you two," Beth called out.

With more confidence than he felt, Jake responded. "Don't worry, honey. We'll find them."

"They couldn't have gone far," Sam added and gave his vehicle some gas.

Jake pulled on the throttle and followed Sam around the north end of the sand bar.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Sam and Jake rounded the sand bar and skimmed along the short beach, but they saw no sign of the kids or that they had been there. They glanced at each other and shook their heads. Sam turned left and veered off north east, and Jake headed south east, keeping within sight of each other. If the kids were in the dinghy and didn't know how to start the motor, they could be drifting with the current on a northeasterly direction. But if Anton or Miranda knew how to operate the motor, and Sam suspected they just might given all the excursions the family took, who knew where they could be.

In the distance he saw another boat, and as he neared it, he noticed that it was a fishing trawler, Russian if the Cyrillic was a true indication. Sam got closer and a couple of crew members stood on the deck watching him with interest. He slowed and pulled up within twenty feet of the boat.

"Morning," he greeted them with a wave and a smile. "Have you seen any kids out on the water?"

The two stared at him, neither one answering.

"Two kids, one is nine and the other is ten, a boy and a girl. We think they were in a small rubber craft with a small engine."

Still no reply, although one of them muttered something to the other. Sam was close enough to hear the words. They spoke Russian. Although his grasp of the language was a little rusty, Sam knew what he said. "We need to get him out of here now, before the boss finds out."

Finds out what? An uneasy feeling hit Sam like a sucker punch in the stomach. He heard the other wave runner and he turned to Jake as he glided up to Sam's right flank.

"What's up," Jake asked, his voice tight. "Did they see the kids?"

"I'm not sure. They're not talking to me, but I heard that guy speaking Russian to the other. It's suspicious."

"You know Russian?"

"I don't speak it like a native, but I think I can get by," Sam replied. He tried again, only in the crewmen's native tongue. They stared at him, shock on their faces.

After a few seconds, one of the men replied and Sam translated. "He says they haven't seen them, but I think he's lying."

"You think they have the kids," Jake asked, keeping himself calm.

Sam knew the look in Jake's eyes. He wanted to storm that vessel and get his kids if they were aboard. If he'd been in his position, Sam would have felt the same way. "Not sure, but I'm certain that they know something, and I want to know what they know." He turned his attention to the crewmen and discovered another larger man wearing a captain's hat stood behind them with a grave expression on his face.

"Hey there, maybe you can help us. We're looking for a couple of kids," Sam said in Russian. "They may be out on the water alone in a small craft. Have you seen them?"

"No. We see only fish," the man replied with a sneer. To his men, he ordered, "Back to work you fools. We have fish to catch."

The man's inflections disturbed Sam even more. The crew turned away, leaving Sam and Jake to stare at them.

"That was pretty rude," Jake muttered. "What'd the captain say?"

"He said they were only fishing and he saw nothing but fish." Sam's lips set into a firm line. "As much as that boat looks like a trawler, I'd bet a boatload of tuna that they're not fishing." He scanned the ocean around them, squinting into the distance. "I'm thinking they're waiting for a rendezvous with someone, maybe doing a deal."

"Drugs or guns?"

"Does it matter?" Sam shook his head and turned the wave runner away. "Let's go back to the yacht and grab some gear."

"By gear you mean…."

"Guns, binoculars, you know, the usual stuff," Sam replied as if it was perfectly normal.

Jake chuckled, but not in amusement. "Sam, I think you and your friends were in the spy business for far too long."

Over the engines' roar, Sam yelled to be heard. "Yeah, well be thankful. This is a cache we stowed on the boat when we thought we were leaving the country. I just never got it off the yacht, and now I'm glad."

"You and me both, buddy." Jake sped alongside him back to the yacht, and they tied up their vehicles at the stern and climbed aboard.

Two worried women jumped up from their seats. "Where are they? Jake, did you get help from that other boat?"

"No," he replied and gave his wife a quick squeeze. "Don't worry, baby, we'll find them. Sam thinks they're on that fishing vessel that isn't really a fishing vessel."

"I only suspect they're on the boat. We have no proof yet," Sam clarified. "Sweetheart, you remember where I stashed those things?"

"Yes," Elsa answered with a nod. She gaped. "Sam, you don't think you'll need weapons, do you?"

"Maybe, maybe not. I just know that we're outnumbered right now. Anyway, can you go get that duffel bag from below?"

She didn't like the way things were going, but she nodded and trotted down the steps.

"Please be careful, both of you," Beth pleaded.

"We're going to be very careful," Sam replied. "If the kids are with those Russians and they're trolling for an arms deal or something, we have to treat this delicately."

"We haven't seen Anton and Miranda yet, so they must be down in the hold," Jake said. "That's good news, honey. They're much safer down there."

"If they're on the boat," Beth mumbled.

"We'll find out soon enough," Sam declared with conviction.

Elsa reappeared lugging a large duffel filled with gear that she dropped onto the bench with a huff escaping her lungs.

"Thanks, baby," Sam said and kissed her cheek. He unzipped it and revealed several automatic rifles, handguns, a Mac10, flash grenades, and other gear. Like a picky shopper, he plucked a few flash grenades from the bunch along with a pair of binoculars and the Mac10 with extra magazines.

"Nice hardware, Sam. I probably don't wanna know how much of this is legal," Jake said with admiration as he picked through and found weapons to his liking. "Now what are we gonna do? We can't storm them, just the two of us. I saw at least a half-dozen guys on that boat."

"I know. We need reinforcements. This is just in case we have to storm the boat." He didn't say it, but he knew that Jake knew it was most likely their only option. Sam packed the gear into a sack that he slung across his shoulders. "I'm working on reinforcements right now." He grinned and stepped up to the conning tower.

"I hope he means he's calling the Coast Guard," Beth said.

Jake answered her. "We're too far from the States for that. Maybe the Bahamian Coast Guard, but not ours."

Sam was gone awhile, and when he returned, he wore a smug expression. "I called Jesse. He's on his way to the airport to get us some air support." He paused and checked his gun's ammunition clip. Clicking it back into place, he added, "I also called Virgil, an old buddy of mine. He's got a little fishing boat business out of the Bahamas. He's coming with his fastest boat and he'll try to convince the Bahamian authorities that these guys are a real threat. At the very least, we'll have four of us to six of them. At least, until the guys they're meeting show up."

"I just hope your friends have enough time to get here," Jake said. "Otherwise, we might have to try to board them ourselves."

"Can you stash some gear on you? We'll have to leave a lot on the wave runners."

"I'll shove flash grenades down my shorts if I have to," Jake replied with intensity. "I want my kids back."

"I know. I also know I don't have to tell you to keep your cool," Sam said, eying him. "You do this every day. Just stay focused."

Jake nodded. With quick hugs from their wives, the two boarded the wave runners again, storing the bigger guns in waterproof compartments under the seats. They took off and made a roundabout trip circling the trawler, pretending to be on a search pattern looking for the kids, when in fact the two men were on a recon mission. Sam took his hand off the throttle and drifted to a stop when he saw another boat coming into the area. He got out the binoculars and studied it.

"Wave Dancer Two, is it your buddy Virgil," Jake asked over the radio.

"Negative, Wave Dancer Three. We have other company." Sam scanned the water and stopped at the trawler briefly, long enough to see the crew on board scurrying around like ants. "Something's going down on the big bad Sea Wolf." He moved to another position and took up his search again, still keeping up the ruse of scanning the open water for the children. He caught sight of the other boat and read the registration code on its bow.

"Big bad wolf is getting a visit from a Havana honey," Jake commented over the radio.

"Copy that." It didn't make any sense. The Cubans and Russians openly did arms business and everyone knew it. So why the clandestine affair? Sam put on the gas and met up with Jake to the north of both craft. "What the hell is going on?"

"That's what I was wondering," Jake said. He kept his back to the trawler, binoculars aimed northward, while Sam used his cover to survey the exchange between the Cuban and Russian captains.

"Too far away to read lips," Sam grumbled. "We don't dare get closer, or they'll know we're spying. As it is, they're looking awfully squirrelly. I just hope Jesse and Virgil get here in time."

As if on cue, the two heard a distinct whir of helicopter blades slicing through the light breeze that came from the south, helping to mask Jesse's approach from the north west. Sam picked up his radio, changed the frequency, and spoke into it.

"Seagull, this is Wind Dancer Two. You read?"

Jesse's voice came loud and clear. "Copy, WD Two. Lovely day for a fishing expedition, eh?"

"Still waiting for the V-man, and then we've got a party," Sam responded.

"He's heading your way full throttle," Jesse informed them. "Let the games begin."

Sam heard Virgil's boat approaching. "V-man, you on this wavelength?"

"Aye, WD Two. Copy you loud and clear, and ready for the party."

"Okay, everyone's in place." Sam turned his head to address Jake. "You ready? They're in the middle of their deal right now."

"I'm ready." Jake swallowed. So many times he'd been in similar scenarios, but never with his kids' lives at stake. At this point, they didn't even know if Anton and Miranda were on the boat, but there was no other place they could be. Knowing his son, if he'd seen a boat with strange men looking suspicious, he would have tried to play hero. Never mind that he didn't know how or have any resources. Jake could beat himself up later for instilling that character in his son.

Sam tapped Jake's arm with the radio, then spoke into it. "Alright, boys. It's party time. V-man, move in, Seagull fly over, and we'll flank 'em from the other side. Be careful of the precious cargo." He stuffed the radio into his pocket and gunned the engine. He and Jake sped over the water around the vessels to the north while Virgil moved into position. By the time they reached their destination, he was in place and Jesse hovered above in the chopper.

The men on the small boats looked up and a couple started firing at the chopper. Jesse leaned out of the open door and returned fire, hitting two of them. With the small crew on the Cuban boat, that left eight men against their four. Sam and Jake pulled out their automatic weapons and fired on the crew of the Cuban vessel as they strafed the water in front of the wave runners. Whoever they were, one thing was for certain. They were really bad shots. Sam took one and Jake the other.

"They're down. Let's board," Sam called to him and moved his vehicle forward.

"There's still one Cuban guy," Jake shouted. A bullet struck him, and he recoiled, staring at his shirt. "Ahhhh!" Instinct kicked in and he grasped for his right shoulder.

"You okay?" Sam picked off the shooter.

"Nice shot, and thanks for the vest, Sam."

"No problem," Sam said and navigated closer to the Cuban vessel.

Jake recovered from the shock of being hit in the bullet proof vest, and he and Sam climbed aboard the Cuban boat. They kept their heads down and fired on the Russians. With the assault from Jesse and Virgil, only the captain and one other crew member remained upright. The others lay on the deck bleeding or dead.

"Drop your weapons and hands on your heads," Sam ordered in Russian. "Now!"

The captain's eyes turned toward his first mate, blinked once, and he nodded his head. The mate moved toward a door that led to a staircase.

"No!" Jake cried out and leaped from where he stood, latching onto the mate's shoulders and taking him down onto the deck.

Sam covered the captain while Jake wrestled with the mate. Jesse rappelled from the chopper to provide support, and Virgil kept guard. In the distance, another boat came closer at a high rate of speed. Until they knew it was friend or foe, he would remain at the ready. A shot rang out, and the struggle ceased. Jake rolled off the mate. Sam hoped that it had been his gun that went off, but when he saw the spreading red stain on Jake's shirt, his gut wrenched. He didn't have time to think about it as the mate aimed at him. He and Jesse took him down with two shots, and then Jesse took over watching the captain.

"Boys, we've got company," Virgil announced. "It's the Bahamian Coast Guard."

Sam was never so happy to hear that bit of news. He dropped his gun and knelt on the deck beside Jake. "Hey, how bad is it?"

"Bad," Jake muttered and grimaced.

After a quick exam, Sam found the entry wound just under the vest on the front and the exit wound near his right hip on the back. He was bleeding out fast. Sam had seen wounds like this before, and if they didn't get him to a hospital in a half hour or less….

"Jesse, can that chopper fly Jake back to Miami?"

"Yeah."

The Bahamian Coast Guard boat pulled up to the scene and took the Russian captain off Jesse's hands. He and Sam bundled Jake up and prepared him to be moved. The chopper crew dropped a large basket, Sam and Jesse put him inside, and gave them the thumbs up to lift him to the chopper deck.

Jesse spoke into his radio. "Seagull, I'm heading back to Miami with Virgil. You guys get Jake to the hospital pronto."

"Copy." The helicopter rotated and sped off toward Miami.

"We've got a lot of explaining to do," Jesse said as he looked around at the carnage. "And we still don't know for sure if the kids are on this boat."

"Let's go below and look." Sam wiped his hands on a rag he found on deck. It wouldn't do for Anton and Miranda to see him looking like that with their father's blood on his hands and arms.

"You there, what you doin'?" The Coast Guard commander asked them.

"We think these men kidnapped Jake's kids and they're in the hold," Sam replied with his hand on the door frame.

"Okay, be careful."

Sam gave him a crooked smile. "Always." He and Jesse rushed down the stairs with their guns at the ready, but the long narrow hall was empty. They counted two doors on each side, with one at the end. "You try the ones on the right, I'll take the left." Behind the second door Sam opened, he found two scared, bound children staring at him with wide eyes. Gags stifled their cries for help. He smiled at them in reassurance, and when the kids recognized him, they squirmed in their restraints.

"You got 'em," Jesse breathed.

"Yeah." Sam entered the small cabin outfitted with bunks and a small table where the kids were tied. Jesse joined him and their fear increased. "Hey, it's okay Anton, Miranda. This is Jesse. He's a friend of mine, and we're gonna get you both out of here." He untied Miranda and removed the dirty bandana used to muzzle her.

"Where's our dad? Where's Daddy?"

Sam's eyes glided to Jesse before he answered. "Your daddy got hurt fighting those bad men, but we sent him to the hospital. The doctors will take good care of him."

"But we're so far away," Anton said, free of his bonds.

"I know, but Jesse came in a helicopter, and it took your dad away. It'll get there a lot faster than we can." The kids looked only a bit convinced. Pulling Miranda close to try to quell her tears, he said, "Come on, let's go back to the catamaran. Your mom is waiting there with Mrs. Axe."

"O-okay," she said and swiped at her eyes.

Sam gave her another squeeze. "You can ride with me, and Jesse and Anton will take the wave runner you dad was driving. It'll be okay. Your dad's a tough guy. If there's any way for him to survive, he will." He got down to Miranda's level and looked into her eyes. "You just have to have faith."

She nodded in understanding and hugged Sam. He hugged her to his chest and carried her up the stairs while she wrapped her legs around his waist. He settled her onto the wave runner and boarded. "Now, hang on tight, sweetheart." He felt Miranda's arms snake around his midsection and tighten.

"So you're gonna leave me here to explain all this, huh," Virgil said with a teasing tone and a wink.

"It seems pretty simple to me, Virg," Sam replied, and with his own wink, added, "After you're done, why don't you come back to Miami and see Maddie? Mike's not around right now. I bet she'd love to see you."

Virgil grinned. "Thanks, Sammy. That's a great idea!"

Jesse and Sam rode the wave runners back to the yacht, and the crew waited to tie them up to the back. Sam's feet hit the deck and he knew that the women had seen everything from their vantage point. He almost couldn't look at Beth and the horror in her expression.

"Mommy! Mommy, Daddy got shot," Miranda reported and ran to her.

Anton, being older and thinking he was more mature, sidled up to his mother and put an arm around her waist. She collapsed onto the bench with the kids and broke down in tears.

"He'll be well taken care of when they get him to the hospital," Sam told her with a soft, caring voice. "They're taking him to the best trauma center in the city. And once we pull up anchor here, we're all going back to Miami."

"Sam, the catamaran isn't very fast," Elsa reminded him.

"That's why we'll take the smaller boat and the crew will follow and get the yacht back to the marina." He glanced at her. "Sorry, honey, that our honeymoon got ruined."

"No, it's okay. If we hadn't been here…." She covered her mouth briefly with her hand and blinked away tears. "I hate to think what might have happened to the children."

He nodded in agreement. After Beth and the kids composed themselves, Jesse helped them board their boat. He and Sam climbed aboard, and Sam looked up at his wife. "Are you coming?"

"Yes." There was no question about it. Beth might need a shoulder to cry on, and it would give her something to do besides worry about everyone making it safely back to the mainland.

"We'll see you at the marina," the captain of the Wind Dancer said to Elsa and gave her a jaunty salute.

"Thank you," Elsa said and leaped over the side to land in Sam's arms.

"You've been great through all of this, sweetheart," Sam whispered in her ear and kissed it. "Thank you."

"I now have a greater appreciation for what you and your friends do. Now I'm not so sure I want you and Jesse working together." She smiled slyly. "Before this, I thought it was Michael Westen's fault for getting you into trouble."

"Nope," Sam replied with a cocky grin. "I can do trouble all by myself."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Sam piloted the boat, and when they were almost back to Miami, Elsa called her driver to pick them up at the marina. A long black limousine waited when they arrived, and the six passengers got in to go straight to the hospital. Very few words were spoken during the trip. As grateful as Beth was to have her kids safe, the prospect of losing her husband cast a dark cloud over her happiness. Sam and Elsa huddled close together, his arm around her, and her fingernails nearly dug into his side. He knew she was thinking that it could just as easily been him. Jesse watched everyone and bore his own thoughts with a stoic expression.

The car stopped, the driver opened the door, and Beth and the kids got out first. People stared, but before they could feel like a spectacle, Sam and Elsa flanked them and moved the group into the hospital toward the reception desk.

"We're looking for where Jake Rand is," Sam said to the woman behind the counter.

"Was he brought in recently?"

Sam glanced at his watch before answering. "A chopper should have landed here about an hour ago."

"Is he family?"

"He's my husband," Beth managed to answer.

The woman gave her a sympathetic smile as she tapped her keys and got more information from her before giving her the news. "Ah, yes, I see he's still in emergency." Her smile brightened. "Emergency is right down this hall behind me. You can't miss it."

"Thank you," Beth replied and herded the kids toward the hall.

Jesse's exhalation made Sam stop. Elsa looked at Sam, and with a soft voice, he said, "Go on, honey. I'll be right there." He turned to Jesse and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I, uh, just don't feel like... I mean, I feel like I'm intruding right now, so I'm gonna get out of here."

"Yeah, okay." Sam knew how he felt.

"Oh, before I forget. I talked to Detective Oglesby about permits and stuff. She's looking into it for me. We're having dinner Wednesday night to discuss it."

"Oh yeah, I'm sure it'll be all business." Sam nodded, a sly smile on his face. "Let me know what you find out."

"I will. What are you and Elsa going to do the rest of the week? You know, with this interruption in the honeymoon and all..."

"I don't know," Sam replied with a loud exhalation. "Right now I'm not too worried about it, and I don't think she is either. We've only known the Rands a day, but I think we both feel like they're old friends. You know?"

"Yeah. Hey, let me know if they need anything."

"Sure thing, Jesse. Thanks." Sam turned and headed for the emergency room to sit with Beth and the kids and Elsa, playing the waiting game, hoping that Jake survived to fight another day.

Jake made it through surgery, which in itself was a miracle. However, he wasn't out of danger yet, so Beth and the kids spent a lot of time at the hospital. Elsa was determined to assist however she could, which included opening their home to the family because it was relatively close to the hospital, more convenient than going back and forth from Cutler Bay every day. No one wanted to say it, but it would also make for an easier time of getting there if Jake took a turn for the worse and was near death.

It was a hazard of the job, but seeing a friend or colleague fall in battle never got easy. Sam had hoped that becoming a civilian with a simple detective agency would avoid a lot of that, but they hadn't even gotten the business off the ground and this happened. As Jesse spent the rest of the week preparing for Sam to work with him, Sam detected a reticence from Elsa that would turn to downright disapproval if he wasn't careful.

By the end of the week, Jake was starting to show signs of improvement, Jesse reported the headway he was making on the business, and Elsa was about ready to explode. He got off the phone with Jesse, smiling, optimistic about the latest news, when he entered the living area. It was one of his favorite rooms in the house because the wall that faced the bay was made of large, two-story high windows that let in a lot of light. It would be a tactical nightmare if anyone chose to storm the mansion, but he did what he could to protect them and hoped something like that would never happen.

Elsa sat on the couch facing the windows. "Who was that on the phone?" She set down the magazine she was reading.

"Jesse. He's getting everything we need to start up. By Monday we should be ready to go, and he's even putting an ad in the paper. He's working on a web site too. I told him I think we can work out of our house until we figure out where we want an off..."

She interrupted him, her eyes cold as she spoke. "You seriously want to go through with this? Do you realize how dangerous this could be?"

"Honey, I've been through a lot of situations. Jesse and I can handle it, and if we get Fi on board, it'll be fine."

"The same people who had you on the run, who got you shot..."

"They didn't get me shot," Sam countered and plopped down on the couch cushion next to her. "I did that to myself because I wasn't fast enough hot wiring a car, and then I took a chance that I might be able to get away with a well-trained commando aiming for me." He sighed. "It was a rookie mistake, that's all."

She shook her head. "No matter. Your friends are... well, I'm afraid for you." She tossed the magazine onto the coffee table, closing the distance between them as she caressed his jaw. "I don't want to be in Beth's shoes, Sammy."

"I know." He understood how scared she was about his choice of career. "But if I don't do this, what will I do?"

"Why do you have to do anything? Enjoy retirement, for crying out loud!" She let out an exasperated sigh, her hands falling to her thighs. "It's not that hard."

"This coming from the woman who has to have her hand in everything at the hotel," Sam declared with a smirk that accentuated his dimple.

She wouldn't let that remark or the dimple dissuade her. "That's different."

"Is it? What if I told you that you should retire? What would you do?" He wasn't kidding around. He was asking her a serious question.

"I... I don't know. We could go traveling, see the world."

"That's great, but then what?" His hand found her arm and caressed it. "Baby, it's not just about having something to do. When we help people, it feels good. It's right. The people that Mike, Fi, Jesse and I were working for had nobody on their side and nowhere to turn. Just us." His thumb made soothing swirling patterns on her skin. "I know you're a good woman with a good heart, and you care about people. Otherwise, you wouldn't have been so kind to Beth and the kids." He gave her a charming smile. "So what do you say, baby? By letting me work with Jesse, you're indirectly helping a lot of underdogs find justice."

Sam knew exactly how to push her buttons, and it irritated her. Yet, he was right. Being wealthy, she had no idea how hard it could be for others less fortunate who were abused by the system. She couldn't imagine the pain and frustration they went through. If Sam and Jesse could prevent some of that, who was she to stop him.

"Okay. Just be careful. Be very, very careful." She looked into his eyes with tears in hers. "I don't want to have to bury another husband."

"You know I'll do my best," Sam replied, and he leaned forward and kissed her. His arms wrapped around her and he pinned her to the couch back as he displayed his love and gratefulness for her decision. He had her breathless again when he whispered against her lips. "Let's go upstairs."

It had been one strange honeymoon, but at least the couple had enough time alone to do what most couples did when secluded from everyone. She nodded and followed him, grasping his hand and focusing on him, banishing all thoughts of trouble and risk.

Monday morning, the newlyweds embarked on the new reality that was their life together. Elsa returned to the office at the hotel, and Sam prepared a room to become his office on the lower level of the mansion. Evan Sr.'s former office was completely furnished, but the dark wood and black leather chairs were too stuffy for Sam's taste. He went shopping for new furniture, bought some paint, and prepared to spend his afternoon changing the color on the walls.

The doorbell rang, and Luisa went to answer the door. On the other side of the wall he heard voices, and then Luisa appeared in the doorway.

"Senor Axe, Senora Glenanne is here to see you."

Sam stopped rolling paint on the wall and turned, a smile lighting up his paint spattered face. "Hey, Fi! Good to see you!" He dropped the roller into a half full tray, wiped his hands on a rag, and approached her with open arms. Fiona eyed him for wet paint before moving to embrace him. "How are you?"

"I'm good, Sam. I heard from Jesse that you two had a little excitement last week." She gave him a look of consternation. "Most women don't like a mini-war on their honeymoon. You owe Elsa a redo."

"Yeah, I know. We're working on that." Sam flapped a hand. "So, what do you think of the new paint? This'll be the temporary office for the AP Detective Agency, until we get enough business to warrant a storefront or something."

"AP? Seriously, you get first billing?" Her nose wrinkled.

"Well, it gets us higher up in the yellow pages," he replied with a wink. "So, have you heard from Mikey at all?"

"He's getting close to finishing up with the agency, and he's still adamant that he's quitting," Fiona replied. "Which leaves me in a bind."

"How so?" Sam took a swig from a bottle of water. "Want one?"

She shook her head. "I bought a fixer-upper, Sam."

"Yeah, I heard you've been busy." He smiled.

"I've been trying to get the work done myself, but..." She swallowed hard, hating to have to ask for help. "But I can't do it alone and finish before Michael comes home."

"I understand. I figured you might need some help, but knowing you, I figured you'd come around when it got to be overwhelming."

"It's not. It's just... it's a lot of work, and I don't have enough time, that's all!"

He nodded, indulging her in her denial. "No problem, I'll be glad to help. I just need to get this done today, because tomorrow I have new furniture coming."

"How much do you have to do yet?"

He pointed to the far wall. "I need to do that wall, and later this afternoon I want to put on another coat all over. Then it'll be done."

"Okay. I help you, you help me. Deal?" She held out her hand.

He took it and shook on it. "Deal. You know I'd help you anyway, even if you didn't agree to this."

Her smile widened. "I know. That's what friends do for each other."

"They sure do." He broke away, took another drink, and set down the bottle. "Okay, let's get to it, sister."

Sam pulled up to the curb and he and Jesse got out, staring at the exterior of Fiona's new house. "I sure hope she's going to do something with that color. It's horrible."

"It needs work inside and out, Fi said," Jesse replied. "Come on, let's see what's cookin' inside."

The two men cut across the lawn past the Charger sitting in the driveway. They heard banging and hammering noises inside, along with some Gaelic cuss words. The screen door opened easily, and the front door stood open, so the men stepped inside. Sam wondered at that. Must be a pretty safe neighborhood, or Fi is armed to the teeth in here.

"Fi?" Sam yelled over the clattering, his call echoing through the empty rooms.

"Back here, Sam! In the kitchen," she called back.

He and Jesse moved through the dining room into the kitchen and surveyed the scene. Everything was out of place, looking like a tornado had been through the room. The vinyl floor tiles lay in a pile near the entrance, the stove and refrigerator sat in the laundry room waiting to be pitched out the back door, and Fiona was in the process of dismantling the cabinets, ripping them from the walls. Sweat poured down her face, her hair damp, and the bandana she used to keep the strands out of her face was soaked.

Turning to them, catching her breath, Fiona hefted a crowbar and smiled. "Hello, boys. Ready to do some demolition?"

"You look like you're having too much fun," Jesse remarked as he inspected what she'd done.

She let out a weak laugh. "I suppose I'm getting out my frustrations this morning. Michael called."

"Well, that's good news, isn't it?" Sam asked with a hopeful expression aimed at her.

"No. Things are taking longer than he expected, so it will be at least another three months before he's done." She jammed the flat end of the crowbar behind another cabinet and pushed on the bar to get the wood to loosen from the wall.

"Look on the bright side, Fi," Sam urged her with a cheerful tone. "It'll give us more time to get this place in shape."

"Yeah," Jesse added with equal cheer, "Last thing Mike'll want to do when he comes home is to work on his house."

"Our house," Fiona huffed. The cabinet cracked.

"Hey, why don't you take a water break, sister. Jesse and I can work on this." Sam came forward and took the crowbar from her hands. He was pleased that she didn't put up a fuss or fight him. "Alright. We'll finish this up and get all the old cabinets out of here, and then you can tell us what you've got in mind for the kitchen."

She took a swig from a water bottle and replied. "The new cabinets are out in the garage, covered with plastic, and I'd like to get them in here before we have our next rain, because I can't vouch for the roof in that shack."

"Fair enough. Let's get this done, Jesse." He wedged the bar in behind the cabinet while Jesse pulled. By working together, it didn't take long to remove the last of the cabinets. Fiona picked up the old tiles and tossed them into a plastic bin that she took out back. When they hauled the cabinets outside, she directed them to a dumpster sitting in front of the garage, and he and Jesse tossed them over the side, hearing a satisfying crunch and crack as they collided with other debris already inside.

It took a week just to finish the kitchen. As they worked Jesse kept his concerns to himself, but the need for getting the agency up and running plagued him in the back of his mind. He didn't have a rich wife like Sam did to keep him afloat. He had enough money to get himself an apartment and furniture, but a couple more months and he would be dangerously low on funds for expenses. They needed to work on a paying gig. So when a small job came his way, he took it.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

"Jesse, I can't believe you took a job," Sam barked into the phone. "I thought we were going to help Fi with the house."

"Yeah, well this one just came out of the blue," Jesse replied in a tone that told Sam it wasn't exactly that serendipitous. "Michelle asked me to help this lady. She's having some issues with a guy stalking her, so seriously, it's really only a one-man job. You go ahead and work with Fi. I got this."

Sam hesitated, a sigh escaping him as his eyes met Elsa's. She sat kitty corner to him at the breakfast table listening to Sam's side of the conversation, and he could see the anxiety in her eyes and how her lips parted above her coffee cup told him she wasn't happy. He covered her free hand with his and squeezed it. She gave him a quick squeeze and pulled away. In the past couple of weeks, his hands had gotten quite rough with all the work he was doing at Fi's. But he knew her rejection had to do more with her fear about him taking jobs.

"Okay, fine. But if you need any help, let me know. You know Fi's willing to do what she can, too. Check in every day, a couple times."

"Yes, Mom." Jesse snorted.

"I mean it, Jesse. You don't know what kind of psycho you might be dealing with," Sam lectured. "We're family, Jess, and family worries."

"Yeah." He let out a breath. "It's been a long time for me to have that. I kinda forgot. Well, I have to get going and meet the client, so I'll let you know what I find out. Okay?"

"Fine. I'll talk to you later." Sam closed the connection and set his phone on the table left of his place setting and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands.

"You're not getting involved in this one? It sounds dangerous."

"A stalker case. You never know what you're gonna get with one of those," Sam answered. He finished his cup of coffee and stood. "Not unlike trying to renovate an eighty year old house."

"It's that old?" Elsa glanced up at him.

Sam nodded. "When Fi and I were ripping out the electrical wires, we found some newspapers stuffed in between the exterior and interior walls from nineteen thirty three. Naturally, the paper just disintegrated in our hands. What a mess."He leaned around from behind, clasping her shoulders as he kissed her cheek. "The electric and the plumbing are being inspected today. Wish us luck that they pass!"

"I thought you knew someone..." She eyed him.

"I do, but it would be my luck that he's on vacation this week, so they've got some other guy doing his job." Sam wrapped his arms around her and kissed her again. "That's okay, I'd rather have an honest assessment than one that slips through the cracks and Fi and Mike have problems later."

With a kiss on his lips and a pat on his arm, Elsa wished him luck and Sam took off for the day. He was wearing an old t-shirt and jeans, his uniform the past couple of weeks. She missed the Hawaiian shirts and khakis. She was sharing him again, too soon after their wedding, and felt shortchanged. She tried not to think about it, but whenever she did, Elsa grew disgruntled. Her practical side reminded her that Sam was just being Sam and she had to get used to it.

Work would keep her mind off of it. If she didn't get in gear, she would be late.

The inspection was successful, and the wiring and plumbing were deemed acceptable. Fiona and Sam watched the inspector place the colorful stickers on the building permit, indicating that the house met the city's standards, and both felt a sense of accomplishment through the act.

"I gotta tell you folks," the inspector said. "I was the one who condemned this place. That's my usual department. I go around declaring houses unfit for habitation, and I really thought this one was a goner. I figured anyone who bought it would be better off razing it and starting from scratch."

"It wasn't so bad once we got rid of the old guts and removed some bad studs that suffered from wood rot," Fiona declared, a hint of a challenge in her tone.

"Indeed." The inspector nodded at them and said, "Well, I hope you two have a lot of wonderful years together in this place. Good luck." He stepped off the porch and hurried to his car parked across the street, not letting Fiona or Sam have an opportunity to correct him.

"That was odd," Fiona said. "Why would he think we were married to each other?" She wrinkled her nose and her gaze roved over Sam from head to toe.

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Sam sneered. "I love ya like a sister, but... eeew."

Something flashed in Fiona's eyes before she whirled and headed into the house. "Alright, let's get to work. We've got a lot of sheets of drywall to hang!"

Jesse completed his job at just the right time. The stalker turned out to be nothing but a misguided admirer, and once his quarry confronted him, he ceased his activities and left her alone. After a couple days watching over her just to be sure, Jesse returned to the house. He brought Maddie and Virgil along to work. The men tackled the drywall with Fiona, and Virgil showed Madeline how to apply tape and drywall mud to the seams and screw holes.

Sam watched the two and found it hard not to smile. Virgil stood directly behind her, so close their bodies touched, as he guided her hands and instructed her what to do. She smiled at Virgil with admiration, and he had to keep reminding her to watch the work and not him. She dropped a pan of mud, top down so a large glob landed on the sub floor. Virgil scooped it up with a trowel and told her not to worry about it. They could have saved the old wood floor, but Fiona wanted to start with new, and now he was glad that they waited to install it.

Someone knocked on the front door, and Sam went to answer it. He looked through the cut glass and saw the distorted figure of a woman. "Yes?" He spoke as he opened the door.

"Hi," she smiled, revealing straight, white teeth in a face that was clear and smooth without benefit of a lot of makeup. Her fiery red hair cascaded around her face and dribbled down her shoulders. "My name is Candy. I'm the next door neighbor. I've been meaning to come over and introduce myself, but you all look like you've been so busy over here."

"We have been, and we've got a lot more to do," Sam replied. He wasn't so sure he liked the way the woman was giving him the eye, her deep blue irises raking over him slowly from top to bottom and back up again.

"You and your wife have quite an undertaking here. The people who used to live in this house didn't take very good care of the place."

"Oh, uh, Fiona's not my wife. We're just friends," Sam said, realizing that he probably just opened a can of worms, as evidenced by the uptick in the corners of the woman's smile.

She extended a hand. "Well, it's a real pleasure to meet you, Mr..."

"Axe. Sam Axe." He hesitated, and as he shook her hand, he made sure she could see his wedding ring. "You wanna come in and meet Fi?"

"It's her house, huh? Pity. Not enough men in this neighborhood. Just a bunch of old geezers, older couples, and divorcees. Like me." She sighed in a pitiful manner, hoping no doubt that Sam would take the bait.

Great, Fi's gonna love this. When Mike comes home, every single woman on the block is going to have her beady eyes on him! "So, uh, did you want to come in and meet Fi?"

"Maybe some other time. I didn't want to interrupt your work. Unless you need some help." She batted her eyes for a little effect, but it didn't work.

"I think we've got enough help right now. Thanks, anyway." Sam waved and closed the door, quickly, but not fast enough to be rude.

"What was that all about," Virgil asked as he joined Sam in the foyer.

"Trouble." He nudged Virgil toward the living area. "Don't worry about it. We've got work to do. Has Maddie got the hang of mudding?"

Virgil chuckled. "She'll get it. Just takes practice."

The next time Candy came around, Sam was alone at the house. Virgil and Maddie were taking the day off going to Disney World. Jesse was tracking down some paint for Fiona, and Fi was getting more supplies for the flooring. Sam was on his knees fitting the wood slats together, sliding the tongue through the groove of each piece already placed on the floor. The windows were left open to air out the place after he and Jesse had laid the vinyl in the kitchen. The glue used to keep it in place was noxious, and he was still suffering a little buzz from it when he heard the screen rattle from someone's knuckles rapping on it.

"The screen's open," he said as he straightened and turned to find her standing in the doorway with a big smile on her face. He frowned. "Oh, hi. It's you."

"Where is everybody? I thought you'd all be working hard, but it looks like it's just you." She glanced around and nodded in appreciation. "Nice work. Maybe I should hire you to come over and take care of some repairs at my place?" The suggestion came out in a purr.

"Thanks, but, ah, after this, I'm ready to go back to work. I'm just helping out my friends, that's all." Swiping his hands on his jeans, Sam stood and crossed to the dining room to pick up a bottle of water. "Was that why you came over?"

"No. I just noticed that everybody left you, and I thought you might like company."

"Not particularly." He took a drink, watching her watching him, her eyes sparkling. He knew why she was there, and maybe in his single days he might have been tempted to stray a little from a steady girl. Sam was loyal to a fault and very committed to Elsa, and he would never do anything to ruin what they had. "Candy, I think I need to make something clear here."

"Oh? Like what?" She wandered inside and raised her arm, resting it against the arch that separated the foyer from the dining room. Her top rode up and showed off her toned midriff. Sam's eyes slipped there for a second, just long enough for her to be encouraged by a moment of male human nature. "You like what you see? I know I like what I see." She licked her lips, slithered off the arch, and approached him.

Sam held up his hands. "Woah, woah, Candy. I think you need to stop right there. I'm a happily married man. I'm not..."

She interrupted him. "In my experience, happily married man is a misnomer, especially when he's thinking about his wife." With lightning quick speed, Candy closed the distance between her and Sam, captured him with her arms and lips, and the momentum sent them crashing into the wall. He pushed against her and touched her breasts, which only got her going more and he had to work harder to get her off of him. He didn't want to hurt her, but if he had to, he would. Sam grasped her shoulders and pushed her away. She glared at him with hunger in her eyes. He'd done it now. She thought he was playing with her.

"I think it would be best if you just left, Ca-Candy." He maneuvered himself around toward the front door.

"I'm tired of you playing with me, Sammy," she said as she stepped closer. "I see you every day working up a sweat, tantalizing me through the windows. Did you really think you could keep doing that and get away with it?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Sam replied.

"It's cute, playing the innocent. But now it's time to get to business," she said with a husky voice. Grabbing the collar of his t-shirt, she pulled with all her might and he stumbled into her. She captured his lips again while he was more prepared this time and pushed away before she could get a good hold on him.

"Knock it off!"

"What the hell is going on here?"

Sam's head whipped around to see Elsa standing in the door, her weight on one hip, her fist tucked into the other, and her angry eyes unable to settle on him or Candy.

"Hey, baby." Sam grimaced. "This is a surprise." If it had been under better circumstances, he would have noticed that she wasn't dressed for work, but instead sported a pair of jeans and a peach t-shirt.

"I can see that," Elsa responded as she stared at Candy.

Candy glared back. "Sammy, who is this?"

Breathing out in relief, Sam took a step toward Elsa, slipped a hand around her waist and pulled her close. With a pleased grin, he replied, "This is my wife, Elsa. Elsa, this is Fi's neighbor Candy. She was just leaving, weren't you, Candy?"

Seeing Sam with Elsa hadn't doused the woman's ardor. He could see it in her eyes. Thankfully for him, Elsa responded to his affection by slipping her arm around his waist and resting her head against his shoulder. He was never more prouder of her when she didn't say a word, just stared the other woman down with those eyes that said if she was smart, she would keep her hands off Sam. Candy's hope dimmed and she made a quick exit without another word. The screen door slammed behind her as she ran to her house.

"Sam, what on earth..."

He turned Elsa in his arm to face him and he quieted her with the press of his lips to hers, kissing her with the love and desire he had for her alone. He left her pleasantly woozy by the time he freed her lips to speak again, and his smile and eyes spoke to her.

"Wow." She could only say and smile back.

"Thanks for rescuing me, sweetheart."

"Rescuing you? What was going on?"

"Candy is just some psycho neighbor of Fi's who got it in her head that I wanted her. I never even implied that I did." He pressed his lips to the base of her neck. "I really thought I would have to beat her off me. She wouldn't let me explain that I had no interest in her." He met Elsa's eyes. "You're the only one I'm interested in."

"I guess it's a good thing I decided that I wanted to spend time with my husband today instead of going to work," Elsa said with a sly smile. "I decided the hotel can run fine without me for a day or two so I could help you all finish up Fiona's house. Then maybe you and I can get away for a few days before you and Jesse start up your agency in earnest."

"That sounds like a great idea."

The pleasure in his smile brought a shiver to her entire body. "So, what are you doing right now?"

"I'm thinking naughty things about my wife," Sam joked.

"I meant construction-wise!" She slapped his arm playfully. He still held her in his arms, and he didn't seem too eager to let go any time soon. Whatever she'd seen before she came up to the door was an illusion. She'd been thinking the worst, but Sam could never hide the desire he had for her. She knew him, and could always trust that he was committed to them and their relationship.

The sound of car doors closing got their attention, and the smoldering look in Sam's eyes disappeared when he looked over her head and saw Jesse and Fiona returning at the same time. "Damn," he muttered. His eyes met hers, a sparkle dancing in them as he said, "I was thinking maybe we could have run upstairs for a few minutes, but I guess that's out of the question now."

She laughed and caressed his cheek. "Don't worry. We'll have plenty of time for that later." She kissed him deeply and endured the ribbing that Fiona and Jesse gave her when they entered the house.

When his friends settled down, Sam said, "I just have to warn you, Fi. That woman next door, Candy, she could be trouble." He explained what happened before Elsa showed herself. "So when Mikey comes home, I'd keep a watch on her."

Fiona smiled. "I certainly will. It shouldn't be too long now."

"What? Did you hear from Mike," Sam let go of Elsa he was so surprised.

"Yes. He called me while I was on my errand. He's not completely done, but they're giving him a few weeks' break. Waiting for developments, Michael said." She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. The point is, he'll be home. Maybe for good."

"That's great news, Fiona," Elsa congratulated her. "That means you really need an extra pair of hands. What can I do?"

Fiona gaped. "You want to help?"

"Yes. The hotel is fine without me." She clasped her hands before her and looked at them, then returned her gaze to Fiona. "I'm sorry, my motives aren't actually all that pure here. I have to admit, I was hoping to see a little more of my husband, and if this was the way to do it..."

Fiona chuckled under her breath and grinned. "Elsa, I would have done the same thing." She reached out, pulled on her elbow and guided her toward the kitchen. "Why don't we start you in here to paint?"

"Boy, you dodged a big bullet there, Sam." Jesse muttered as the women disappeared into the other room. "I noticed that woman watching you like she wanted to have you for lunch, but I didn't think she had the guts to really come over here and try anything."

"You should have warned me. I never saw it coming."

"But you handled it well. Otherwise Elsa would be a lot less gracious, I'm sure."

Sam nodded. He shifted his position so he could watch her and Fiona in the kitchen. Leaning against the archway, he sighed. "Jesse, sometimes I can't believe how lucky I got finding Elsa. A lot of women I've had wouldn't have understood, or would have taken what they'd seen out of context. This could have been really ugly, but Elsa sized it up fast and accurately. A little explanation didn't hurt, and the level of trust she has in me helped save the day, I think." He turned back to Jesse. "I hope you find a woman like that some day, Jess."

"Me too, man. I think Michelle might be that kind." Jesse smiled.

"Dating a detective, a woman who analyzes all the evidence before acting, she could be a good match."

"It seems like it. Time will tell." Jesse shrugged and set down the load he'd been holding onto all that time. "I better go get the rest of this paint out of my car. We've got a lot of work to do yet."

"We sure do. This floor isn't gonna lay itself." Sam let Jesse pass and he got down on his knees to take up where he left off when he was so rudely interrupted.

The sky was gray and hinting at rain when the black sedan rolled down the street, the driver searching for the house number.

"It's a tan stucco house," Michael told him. "Right there. I see it." He pointed and was barely able to contain the excitement in his voice. As the driver stopped and parked across the street, Michael stared at the home that was his and Fiona's. He remembered the pictures she sent him before work began, and he thought she was crazy. Fiona told him that everyone he loved put a little love into the renovations, but it appeared to him that they'd sacrificed a lot more in the endeavor. The final results were like a two by four upside the head. What they did for him and Fiona was overwhelming, and the outpouring of love he felt for them brought tears to his eyes. He regretted everything they had to go through at his expense, and now that he was home, he would make up for it. Somehow.

"This is the place, Mr. Westen." The driver got out and rounded the vehicle to open the trunk. "Nice house."

"Thanks." Michael got out and took the suitcase from the man. With a handshake and wishes of good luck, the driver got in and took off, leaving Michael standing on the curb staring at the house. He heard hammering echoing from the back yard, and his eyes scanned to the right. A car and a pickup truck were parked in the drive, but the Charger was nowhere to be seen. He wasn't sure what to expect, so he stepped into the street, crossed, and went to see what was happening.

Classic rock and roll from the 70s blared from a radio as he got closer, and voices he recognized shouted over it. A nail gun kerchunked several times, followed by other bangs and a saw tearing through wood. He rounded the corner and found Sam and Virgil working on a frame that fit over the back porch. Virgil finished cutting a four by four and looked up.

"Well, look who's here! Michael!"

Sam whirled, his eyes wide. "Mike! We weren't expecting you until tomorrow, brother."

"Is that a problem?"

"No! Hey, it's good to have you home," Sam exclaimed, dropping the nail gun on a work table and approaching him to give him a hearty welcome home hug. "Well, what do you think of the place?"

Michael glanced around the back yard and nodded. "Fi sent me pictures. I thought it was a disaster."

"It was. But we took care of it," Sam said and steered Michael toward the back door. "We're just finishing up on this little project. Fi wants to grow some vines up these posts and eventually they'll form some natural shade."

"I thought there was plenty of that with the trees." It was then that he realized something was missing.

Sam grimaced. "Yeah, we had to remove both the trees that covered the back yard. They were rotting from the inside out," Sam replied. "Fi wants to replace them, but it'll take a long time before they're useful for shade."

"It's okay. Is Fi inside?" Michael jerked a thumb toward the back door.

"She and Maddie and Elsa are out shopping for some last minute decorating stuff. Want me to show you around?"

Michael shook his head and smiled. "I think I want to experience it for myself."

"You go right ahead." Sam saw a movement out of the corner of his eye and frowned as he took a few steps to catch up to Michael, who had his hand on the back screen door. "Oh, Mike, before I forget. You might wanna watch the neighbor over there." He inclined his head toward the yard where the redhead stood pretending to take wash from a line while she studied the men like a hungry wolf.

"Who's that?"

"Her name is Candy, and she's prowling for a man. She seems to like married guys, so... just be careful." Sam's eyes told him more than his words could say.

Nodding, Michael said, "Thanks for the tip." He entered the house and took a slow walk through each room. Fiona put her stamp on every room with bright colors and modern furniture mixed with some eclectic pieces. He went upstairs and found their bedroom, and he dropped the suitcase on the wood floor, turned in a slow circle to thoroughly examine the room, and then he fell back on the bed. The duvet was soft as a baby's breath and he sank into it. It was such a contrast to what he was used to the past months, not to mention over the years of traveling. All the way home he wasn't sure if he could ever fit into a life of a non-spy, but these comforts of a new life could go a long way to convincing him that he was capable.

"Michael! Michael, where are you?"

The sound of her voice brought a wave of emotion crashing over him. He couldn't get up. He couldn't speak. Michael could only wait until Fiona found him in the bedroom, and when she did, her face lit up.

"Hi, Fi," he croaked.

"You like the bed?" She asked with a wicked gleam in her eye.

Swallowing, he replied, "Yeah, I do."

"Good. It's a fine time to give it a good try," she said as she closed the door, set her legs, and sprung forward, arms and legs flung out to land on him and give him a proper welcome home.

Yes, if this was what normal was like, Michael thought he could get used to it.


End file.
